Invisible Wounds
by Kasienda
Summary: Between the first year of med school, a new enemy who defies all logic, and a mysterious epidemic plaguing the population, Ami is struggling to maintain balance. Worst of all, there's an obnoxious insufferable know it all international third year resident with an irrational fear of commitment, leadership, and sailor senshi of all things, that is suspicious of her disappearances.
1. A Break From Routine

Disclaimers:  
1) I do not own Sailor Moon or its characters.

2) I am _not_ a doctor.

 **Chapter 1: A Break From Routine**

A delicate hand, belonging to one Mizuno Ami, braved the bitingly cold morning air to silence the blaring contraption without thought. With a sigh, the blunette sat up and draped her long legs over the side of the bed, before rising gracefully to her feet.

She moved directly to the bathroom. She turned the shower to hot, let her small clothes fall into a puddle at her feet, and then stepped into the luxurious steaming stream.

She stepped out clean and refreshed precisely seven minutes later. She slipped into a simple cream colored blouse and a longer dark grey pleated skirt that she had set out on the bathroom counter the night before. She tousled her hair dry with the towel before hanging it up. She put on some simple pearl earrings and ran her fingers through her hair bringing order to the blue frazzled strands. 

She silently moved to the kitchen careful not to disturb either of her roommates who had a tendency to sleep in much later than herself. Ami cracked two eggs expertly on the side of a bowl, tossed the shells aside, and quickly beat them until they were a warm uniform yellow in color. The simple breakfast was ready to eat two minutes later. She ate it without fuss alongside a cup of herbal mint tea sweetened with a dash of honey.

She rinsed the dishes and placed them in the dishwasher, picked up her bag that already sat waiting at the door, slipped simple walking shoes onto her feat and exited her apartment at exactly 7:46 AM to arrive to her 8:30 AM class ten minutes early.

…

An arm fell across his back startling him awake. Zevon peeked an eye open and took in the petite dark girl that shared the bed – _her_ bed if the pastel lavender comforter was anything to go by. He took in his unfamiliar surroundings – the wall just a little too close, the lacy drapes over the window that did not block out the sun, a dresser covered in pictures of the girl and her friends at various stages of their lives.

He blinked for a moment at the girl, trying to remember her name, but it alluded him. He smirked at her narrow frame. She certainly was a cute little thing. She had liked his accent and his dancing. 

He slipped out from under her arm, careful not to disturb her and began scrounging for his clothes. His underwear was found hidden halfway underneath the heavy comforter that had draped over the bed onto the floor. His pants had fallen across the little table light on the nightstand. His green collared shirt that worked wonders to bring out his emerald eyes lay abandoned in the hallway, and lastly his jacket was carefully sprawled over the back of the couch.

He dressed silently and exited without a word or note.

…

"Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease, or COPD, is characterized by chronic inflammation of the airways, lung tissue, and pulmonary blood vessels caused by exposure to inhaled irritants, most often smoke from tobacco or marijuana smoke, though you will see a fair number of cases resulting from long term exposure to industrial pollution as well," the professor explained referring to a diagram of the pulmonary system in the lungs with red and blue labels of various parts and cells.

Ami's hands danced furiously across her keyboard taking detailed notes of the lecture. The slide changed to a bar graph spouting statistics of the various forms that the disease could take.

"COPD usually manifests in one of two ways: either as chronic bronchitis or emphysema. In your lab this afternoon, you will be working with patients that suffer from COPD and you will need to be able to distinguish between the two conditions…"

At that moment a blue LED at the end of a matching blue pen sitting beside her laptop started pulsing. She closed the laptop silently and made her way out of the lecture hall, leaving all her belongings at the desk except for the pen.

Once in the deserted hallway she pressed her finger precisely into her earlobe activating a hidden earpiece and microphone. "This is Mercury," she announced softly.

"Sorry to pull you out of class Mercury!" the familiar high-pitched feline voice of Luna resounded into her ear. "You were the closest."

"Think nothing of it Luna," she said calmly. "Senshi duty always comes first. Where am I needed?"

"There's a youma four blocks southeast of your position, wrecking havoc on the market there."

Ami started running.

…

Zevon dialed in the combination to his locker without thought and practically jumped into the blue scrubs.

"Nice of you to show up Zevo-kun!" his black haired fellow resident greeted. "Rounds start in four minutes," he warned.

"Only need two!" the green-eyed blond called back.

"Don't you know Daiki is first on the list for rounds?"

Zevon rolled his eyes. Mamoru worried and over prepared far too much. Especially about patients that he was not responsible for.

"Relax Chiba! He's _my_ patient." Zevon Stone might not be able to remember who he slept with last night, but he knew his patients' charts forwards and backwards.

"See you in thirty seconds."

"Yes dad," Zevon mockingly agreed. He checked his hair in the tiny mirror before marching across the hall.

"This is Daiki, a six year old male admitted yesterday with acute abdominal pain," Zevon dove into his report as he walked into the patient room slipped his way through the circle of attending and resident physicians surrounding the young Japanese child who smiled up at him. Zevon offered the dark haired child a fistbump without stopping his explanation and was delighted when the boy silently returned the greeting. "Mom reports he has been complaining of a stomach ache for three days and that it seems to be getting worse. The child describes the pain as a point localized pain rather than a generalized pain. We're running tests on his urine to check for a urinary tract infection and potentially following up with an ultrasound to check his appendix and gallbladder.

"Why are you choosing the ultrasound over the CT scan?"

"The ultrasound can pick up a much broader range of disease and infections and is actually better at detecting most of them with the exception of appendicitis, but it has a good chance of catching that as well without any exposure to ionizing radiation."

"Excellent. Thank you Dr. Stone," his attending stated before turning towards the family and asking if they had any questions.

When the woman shook her head the herd of experts shuffled slowly out of the room and onto the next. The next patient was Mamoru's and Zevon made a point of grilling his peer by forcing him to justify each of his diagnoses and treatment plan before their attending could get a word in edgewise, though the older man nodded along with each of Zevon's questions.

Mamoru returned the favor for his next patient. But Zevon delighted in this game they played – it kept them both sharp. 

"Nice one Zevo-kun," Mamoru commented into his ear as they moved on from their last patient.

Zevon smirked. He was never in any danger of not making it through rounds, and he found himself wondering if Mamoru enjoyed their game or was irritated by it. He was going to ask, but before he could a code went off across the hall, and without a word, or even a shared glance, they launched themselves into the room ready to work. 

…

To an outside observer she ran impossibly fast – but to the well-trained power infused senshi, it was an easy jog.

"Do we know what this creature is after?" she asked into her mouthpiece.

"Honestly Mercury, it doesn't seem to have any specific target – just wanton destruction."

"I see what you mean," Mercury whispered as she took in the inhuman beast as it ripped through the shops on the strip like they were made of paper. Bodies and debris alike littered the ground.

Her nimble boots darted between the casualties that she regretfully did not have time to grant further consideration. She drew on the chill and moisture in the very air around her willing an ice lance as sharp and cold as a winter's blizzard into existence between her arms.

The projectile pierced through knotted mud brown fur matted with filth into the beast's torso. With an inhuman shriek of protest, the monster turned toward her fuming with more anger than pain. The creature as fearsome as a bull, charged her with pounding thuds. 

She easily sidestepped the blundering strides as long white-gloved fingers pressed into her a crystal sapphire studded earring, activating her visor covering the world with a blue filter. Annotations flooded her field of vision. She didn't like using the Mercury computer when she fought alone as the information could be distracting, but she needed information. 

She cursed. The beast was human – though infused with strength and chaos. His electromagnetic aura spiraled and centered around his crown chakra. 

She masterfully taunted the beast with icy projectiles and disoriented him with mist, leading him away from further potential victims. She leapt to window scaffolding above the clumsy monster, before striking downward on the focal point of power located at the crown chakra. The energy pattern shattered and the beast slammed into the ground unconscious, but he didn't revert back to his human form.

She bit back a curse maintaining her dignity as always. "Luna, I need Sailor Moon for healing."

"She's already on her way," the small voice reported.

She kept half an eye on her incapacitated adversary as she moved to check its victims. Thirty-six victims total. Thirty-four wounded and unconscious. Two dead. She was surprised that the others were _all_ unconscious. It reminded her of their first battles almost a decade previous – where the Dark Kingdom had been harvesting energy. But their energy levels were normal.

The computer showed that a handful of the unfortunate victims had some kind of physical trauma consistent with their lack of awareness, but the majority of the others had no obvious explanation for why they weren't conscious. She sighed, wishing she could subject them to various lab tests herself before they were admitted to the hospital.

Before she could get too swept up in the mystery, Sailor Moon arrived with a two-fingered salute as greeting. The golden blond approached the beast cautiously, tapping it with her red boots.

"He's unconscious, but I'd prefer you healed him before that status changes," Mercury reminded her friend, trying to mask her amusement at her best friend's childlike wonder and fear that still occasionally came to the surface.

"Right!" the other girl agreed whipping out her wand. The device served as a channel only – to focus the lunar senshi's power to a purpose and to a point. Mercury never ceased to be amazed at how much raw energy her friend could bring to bear. She watched as matted fur faded away to an ordinary looking dark haired man. All signs of chaos and supernatural powers had faded from her scans. Hopefully, whatever affected him was no more, but she would keep monitoring him from afar.

"Jupiter wants to know if you're going to home for dinner," the blond commented as they dragged his limp body to join the his victims, hoping that he would be mistaken for a civilian.

"Uh… not tonight. I have a date. But tell her thank you for thinking of me."

"I will! See you later Mercury!" she said with a wave.

Then both girls dashed off in opposite directions as the sirens approached in their wake. The authorities unfortunately had their hands full.

But then, so did she, she thought with a sigh as she slipped silently back into her seat in her regular clothes once again for the last twenty minutes of lecture. She sighed thinking of how much reading and independent research she would have to do later to make up for the missing the majority of the lecture.

…

Zevon and Mamoru moved to either side of the little dark haired girl, pushing the crying and panicking woman at the girl's side out of the way. She was gasping hard – with her head and back arched. A glance at the monitor revealed her oxygenation had plunged to eighty-one and her heart rate was climbing. Her skin shone with profuse sweating and her lips were turning blue. She was effectively not breathing.

"She's in acute respiratory failure. Heart rate one-forty-five and climbing, oxygenation at eighty one percent," Mamoru reported, effectively handing the reins over to him knowing that he was more than an expert in these kinds of cases.

"We need to intubate," he ordered softly.

That much was obvious to everyone involved. The nurse already had the tray prepared. Zevon took the endotracheal tube, removed the girl's oxygen mask, tilted the girl's head back and slipped the thin tube into the girl's mouth and throat. He felt for the correct placement then nodded to Mamoru who already had the ambu bag attached to his half of the device.

"The tube is placed," Zevon reported as he nodded to Mamoru. His partner manually pumped the air with slow measured squeezes as the nurses scrambled around them setting up the ventilator. It was only a minute before Mamoru was able to defer his critical support to the machine.

"I want pure oxygen, see if we can't get that oxygenation level up and heartrate down," the blond doctor said out loud as he watched the blue numbers climb up immediately, which was reassuring. "Who's her assigned physician?"

"Dr. Nakajima," the nurse told him. 

"Page her."

"Already done."

Zevon smiled. He loved an efficient nursing staff that followed protocol. "Does she by any chance have a history of epilepsy?"

"Not that I know of. She has GERD."

"Ahh… So this is aspiration induced pneumonia?"

"I believe so, yes."

At that point Zevon moved toward the distraught woman.

"You're mom?"

She nodded.

"I want you to know that she is responding well to our intervention. We will watch her closely and Dr. Nakajima should be here momentarily."

As if summoned by his words, the diminutive Japanese woman who he secretly feared arrived demanding a report.

They gave her their report including the initial and improving vitals.

"She's a good candidate for a Nissen Fundoplication," Zevon finished.

Almond brown eyes narrowed into slits of impatience. "She's scheduled for the procedure next month Dr. Stone," she said. "Though if we can't get this current infection under control it will not be safe to conduct surgery."

Zevon bowed his head in respect, knowing that Nakajima probably did not appreciate standard and obvious advice from third year residents. He ducked out of the room quickly before the attending could take his ego down another three notches and headed back to the lounge area with the intention to work on some patient charts with Mamoru trailing behind.

"Do you want to come out to the club tonight?" Zevon invited. Mamoru joined his group of friends every now and then and Zevon always found himself looking forward to those nights. He didn't know why – he just had more fun when Mamoru was there.

"Why? So I can drive your drunk ass home?" his friend shot back teasingly.

" _You_ won't need to drive me home Mamoru-kun. That's what the ladies are for!"

"Right… how could I forget the part where you are fantastic company until some poor girl falls victim to your hypnotic gaze. Then you abandon your friends completely."

"You make it sound like I'm some kind of sexual predator," Zevon complained. "I can't help it if I'm exotic and attractive! Not all of us can be doey eyed in love and totally whipped!"

Mamoru rolled his eyes. "You're the one missing out of having a _real_ relationship."

"You know what? You're no longer invited," Zevon shot back with a playful grin. "Your disapproving glares will ruin all my fun."

Mamoru laughed. "What time?"

"What time to we get off?"

The alarms went off again. Doctor Nakajima walked in and stopped them both with her dark almond eyes, "We just got word of an attack in some district and have multiple traumas coming in," she explained quickly. "Get yourselves down to the emergency department. They're going to need help."

The blond resident sighed as they moved quickly in compliance.

"Nevermind… Maybe tomorrow instead."

It was looking to be a long night. 

…

"Sorry I'm late," she said with a warm smile sliding into the booth opposite her long time boyfriend.

"It's fine Ami-chan. I heard you had a pretty filled day," Urawa Ryo said smoothly, his dark eyes dancing merrily under his overgrown dark locks.

She released an appreciative sigh. "Unfortunately yes."

"Everything okay?" he asked, with a small frown of concern.

"Yeah, it was fine. Just weird. I haven't been able to meet with Luna yet to compare notes."

"I'm sure you'll figure it out," he said with absolute confidence. Ami wished she could be that certain.

"So, what's going on?" she asked, changing the subject as she dove into the platter of gyoza that had just arrived. "You seemed excited on the phone," she commented through a mouthful of steaming hot dumplings.

"I got in Ami-chan," he said softly.

She choked in surprise. She had completely forgotten he had even applied. She forced herself to swallow the painfully hot piece so she could speak. "That's fantastic Ryo-kun! This is the American University yes?

He nodded confirmation.

"Congratulations!" she exclaimed. 

"Do you think I should go?" he asked, interrupting her enthusiasm.

"How could you not?" she countered, surprised by the question.

"It's a three year program Ami," he bit back coldly.

Her eyes flew to him, startled at his sudden anger.

"Are you mad at me?" she whispered, doubt coloring her tone.

"No!" he snapped immediately pushing his hair back with both hands. "I just… I guess I thought you might be more upset. Do you even _care_?" he demanded.

"Care about you? Of course I do!" she insisted, feeling hurt that he would doubt the fact.

"No, do you care that I'd be gone for three years?"

"Of course I care," she countered automatically.

"Honestly Ami-chan, it doesn't feel like it," he contradicted.

"Do I have to prove it to you somehow?" she fired back, suddenly feeling defensive.

"No, I guess not," he said rising to his feet. "Thanks for making this decision so easy Ami-chan. I can't believe I was obsessing over it."

"Ryo-kun!" she objected. "Do you expect me to get in the way of your _dream_?"

"You don't get it Ami! _You_ are my dream, but I know it has never been the same for you. I kept hoping that maybe one day it would be. But I should've known better..." he finished sadly, his eyes falling back to his hands.

Ami felt her throat constrict and she pushed back the tears that threatened to burst forth, urging herself not to lose control now.

"Are you breaking up with me?" she whispered not able to look at him either.

"I… I think I am," he stuttered. The words hit her like a kick to the gut.

"I love you, you know," he added, but it did nothing to ease the sudden knot in her stomach. "Kami-sama Ami! I love you _so_ much. You are my world! But I know that I will always be second in your life. And I can't keep doing this to myself."

She looked at him then – at the curve of his boyish face – with dark dark eyes too bright with his own suppressed emotion. How many times had she hurt him without even realizing it?

"See! You can't even argue with me!" he broke into her continued silence.

He stood at that moment. Ami urged herself to stop him. To reach out or say something. Anything!

But she didn't want to keep hurting him either.

"Good-bye Ami-chan," he whispered as he turned and left.

She watched him go, frozen in her seat unable to move. Breaking out of her emotional paralysis she threw down the napkin and ran after him.

"Ryo-kun!" she shouted once she had exited the restaurant.

He stopped, but did not turn around. She ran in front of him and he turned away unable to look her in the eyes. He was crying.

"What is it Ami?" he asked distantly.

"I… I'm sorry Ryo-kun… that I could never be what you needed."

He stared at her for a moment and then just nodded, before he pushed past her.

"Good luck!" she called after him. "In… America."

He didn't respond. Just kept walking.

It didn't hit her until he had turned the corner – out of sight. Then, she almost fell to her knees as the devastation and shock finally hit her system. The torrent of tears she had managed to keep at bay broke past the dam and she cried.

She cried harder than she ever had since the night she realized her dad was not coming back. 

…

 **Dedication:**  
This story is dedicated to my son. He has brought so much light and love into my life and definitely has pushed me outside of the world that I know and forced me to learn so much and find an inner strength that I definitely did not know was there. This story is dedicated to him because at four months old he started having a rare type of seizure called infantile spasms and at five months old he was diagnosed with a rare genetic disorder. Together, we have spent more time in hospitals in the last year than I had my whole life prior to his being born, so it has become a setting that I am sadly more familiar with than I would like to be. And that's where a lot of the details, medical knowledge and hospital routines come from.

 **Other stories:**  
I know! I know! You wanted me to update Going it Alone – not start a whole new story! But I've been working on this one off and on over the last four chapters or so of Going it Alone so I promise it's not distracting me anymore than it was! Some of these themes are just spiraling around in my head and I need to put them somewhere!

And I know I said I would have more time over the summer, and this summer that has just _not_ been true. Too much dealing with bureaucracies, training new teachers, and trying to complete some online grad school courses so I can get paid more!

The good news is that I got a really nice review there that helped me dive back intro writing and get through some of the things that I was struggling with in all three of my stories! And over the last three days I made some huge leaps forward in writing that next chapter in both Going it Alone and Fighting Fate (and this one too! Hence it's being posted finally!) And hopefully I'll be posting some more evidence to support that claim soon! 


	2. Camaraderie

**Chapter 2: Camaraderie**

Zevon forced his head off the table, and slapped each of his own cheeks alternatively with his own hands, trying to bring himself to some level of alertness again. He only had three charts left after having written up over a dozen. Most of the trauma victims were in comas – most likely caused by traumatic brain injury, though it was strange that every single victim initially was unconscious. If the cause was physical trauma, it seemed to him that there would have been at least a few that managed to stay out of the creature's way, but his peers and mentors had just laughed at his objection.

"You haven't lived in Tokyo long enough Zevo-kun. None of the rules apply. Not when the Sailor Senshi are involved."

He had ordered the CT scans and MRIs, but with so many patients all at once, and Radiology backed up beyond belief even before the influx of new patients, it would be days before anyone had answers. A few of the victims woke up within hours of being admitted, so Zev had hope that the others would be okay as well.

"Stonay-san," a soft voice interrupted his musings. He smirked at the way most of the Japanese pronounced his last name – not grasping the concept of the silent "e" at the end of "Stone".

"Tsukino-san," he greeted the blond social worker with a gentle smile. "Do you want me to check if Mamoru-san is available?"

"No!" she cried urgently. "I actually came to see you, or one of his other friends."

He raised an eyebrow. "What's up?"

"I'm planning a surprise party for his birthday next month and I was hoping that you could help me draft the guest list. Or at least get addresses or numbers for some of his friends here at the hospital."

"Sure! I can do that," he drawled. "But doesn't Mamoru-san hate surprises?"

"Not usually from me," she explained with a straight face.

He laughed. "Fair enough. So what exactly…"

A happy synthetic melody interrupted his question.

"Oh sorry! This could be important," she said holding up the singing cell phone.

"Ami-chan!" she greeted brightly. Her smile faded immediately into a mask of concern. "Ami-chan? What's wrong?"

He sat awkwardly not being able to hear the other side of the conversation, but understanding implicitly that something was awry so it would feel rude to not continue to give her his attention and just keep working.

"Where are you?" she asked urgently. "Ami… Ami-chan, I can't understand you."

"Don't move. I'll be there in fifteen minutes," she said a few seconds later.

She hung up the phone.

"I hope everything's okay," Zevon offered.

"It will be," she assured him confidently. "Anyway, I have to run!" She tore a sheet of paper from a notepad and scribbled something onto it. "Here's my number. Call me when you have a list of names and addresses."

"When do you need it by?" he asked rapidly, knowing she was in a hurry.

"Within a week would be amazing."

He nodded. "No problem!"

She gave him a half smile and dashed away.

"Don't tell Mamoru!" she called back before disappearing down the hall.

"Don't tell Mamoru what?" the familiar baritone interjected into the sudden silence.

Zev whirled around face to face with his raven-haired fellow resident.

"Mamoru-kun!" Zevon greeted with false brightness. "Uh… how long have you been standing there?"

"Not long enough apparently… She's planning a surprise party isn't she?"

"Uh..."

"It's okay. You don't have to confirm anything. It's just not that much of a surprise when she does it every year," his friend mused with a slight smile.

Zev rolled his eyes at this obvious display of affection. He hoped to never be _that_ lost on a girl.

"Well, since you already know, maybe you can save me some time Mamoru-san!"

"And you call yourself my friend!" Mamoru mock countered. "I thought you would care enough to make my surprise party a night to never forget!"

"Challenge accepted," Zev agreed. "I will help your lady with planning, but you can still make the guest list for me. That way it'll have all the right people on it."

"I'd be happy to introduce some of them to you tonight."

"Perfect! That way when I abandon you for some cute little thing, you can't be all butt hurt about me leaving you alone!"

… 

Usagi waved to Hanako – the security lady she had gotten to know quite well since Minako, Makoto, and Ami had moved into the pent house apartment that Minako singlehandedly financed for the three of them – as she moved immediately for the elevator.

The blond darted into the tiny lift and pressed the button for the top floor before the doors had even completely opened, anxious to get upstairs. Nothing shook her reserved and collected friend's foundation, and to hear the girl crying so hard that she was incoherent, well, it unsettled Usagi's nerves.

She could not get off the elevator fast enough, but luckily she didn't have to knock knowing Ami had left the door unlocked for her.

She found the broken hearted blunette wrapped up in a blanket hunched over a pillow sobbing. The blond instantly cradled her friend's wracking form, and rocked with her.

"Ami-chan, what happened?" Usagi whispered soothingly.

"R…Ryo-kun… broke up with me," she managed through her sobs.

"Yeah, you said that on the phone. Which is why I ask what on earth happened!"

"I deserved it," Ami whispered.

" _What_?" Usagi objected staring at her supposedly genius friend in disbelief, "I don't believe that."

"But I did! And I do! I've been such an awful girlfriend," she sobbed.

"Ami-chan," Usagi said softly. "You're not an awful girlfriend."

"But I was. He said I always put him second. It's true. I have always done that! Third really – between being in med school and being a senshi. I have always taken him for granted. Assumed that he would always be there."

"Cut yourself some slack Ami-chan. You probably come closer than the rest of us, but even you can't be perfect all of the time."

"I feel lost," she admitted. "But more than that… I mostly feel relieved. No more mandatory phone conversations at night. No more making myself go to that improv comedy special. And then I just feel terrible! I'm going to miss him terribly! I can't believe he's gone!" she choked out. "I feel like such an awful person and an awful girlfriend. How could I do that to anyone?"

"Ami-chan, feeling obligated to someone doesn't make you awful. It makes you human. And it certainly doesn't mean that you didn't care about him! And if you say you didn't want to talk to him every night – maybe this is a good thing! If you're going to spend the rest of your life with someone they should at least pass the traffic test."

"The what?"

"The traffic test!" Usagi squealed delightedly. "I can't believe there's a test you haven't heard of. It's where you're actually hoping for traffic so that you can spend more time with the person!"

"I don't think that's a real test," Ami objected automatically.

"Ami-chan, it's just a way to think about it. It's a way to follow your heart rather than your head." 

"But how will I ever find someone that fit into my life as perfectly?" she asked. "Ryo-kun knew me so well, understood me and my passions, and always supported me. I didn't even have to hide Mercury from him – he accepted that part of me as well. Why couldn't I love him the way he loved me?"

"Love is not something you can force. It's not something you can make make sense or fall into a rational logical pattern."

"Why not?" she whined petulantly.

Usagi stared at her hard in complete disbelief. "Are you serious?"

Ami nodded emphatically with such a genuine desire to know that Usagi couldn't help but fall into giggles. "You're something else Ami-chan."

"Don't laugh at me Usagi!" the other girl objected, hitting her playfully with the pillow. But now Ami's sobs were punctuated with a few broken laughs of her own.

"You're going to be okay Ami-chan. I promise. And I'm certain there's someone out there who is perfect for you."

"You think so?"

Usagi nodded emphatically. "But be warned. He may also drive you to the edge of madness."

Ami hit her with the pillow again.

…

"Motoki-kun! Over here!" Mamoru called out waving over two of his friends to where Zevon and he had found a high-rise table next to the bar. The location was ideal as it was incredibly easy for them to get the bartender's attention, but they didn't have people leaning over them either.

"You really have a thing for blonds," Zevon commented dryly as Mamoru's friend weaved their way through the crowd, easy to spot through the crowd with his distinctive golden cap.

"You must be glad you made the cut," Mamoru shot back before he rose in greeting to his friends. "This is Furuhata Motoki – he and I go way back – I think to grade four."

"Grade three," the boyish face corrected with a friendly grin as he bowed his head slightly in greeting to Zevon. The blond resident returned the expression without thought.

"Three? Really?"

"Yeah, you transferred in halfway through the year. Always an honor to meet anyone Mamoru calls a friend," Motoki said with another disarming smile.

"Right! And this is Hayashi Nobuo," Mamoru introduced the other man with flowing chestnut hair, who stood casually in a navy blue blazer and slacks that fit the man and his tall height so well Zevon suspected the attire was custom tailored. He had the air of confidence that came with status and wealth. "He and I attended KO University together. We took more than a few political science classes together."

"And this is Stone Zevon," Mamoru started.

"Don't do that to my name Mamoru-kun," Zevon interrupted. "It just sounds weird! It's Zevon Stone," he corrected offering a hand to each man in turn. "You can call me Zevon. We're in the same residency program."

"You're going to regret sharing that fact," his jet-black haired friend murmured.

It took an hour before Zevon figured out what Mamoru was talking about. Apparently, Hayashi-san was some corporate heir – and his father was CEO of an international company called Medtronic Inc., the four largest medical company in the world, and Hayashi fancied himself a bit of a medical expert.

"So you see," Hayashi was explaining animatedly, "if we could get the hospital to adopt the whole fee-for-value instead of fee-for-service model quality of care would increase and at the lowest possible cost for the consumer."

Zevon forced himself to nod, though he had really stopped following the abstract business model that the massive broad shouldered brunette was explaining. He waved down a passing server and indicated he wanted a refill.

Nobuo stood up from the table at that point holding up a vibrating phone before he stepped away from the table.

"You have the patience of a saint, Stone-san!" Motoki told him. "I swear he's not usually this bad – next time, just don't ever let him start talking about anything medical."

"I don't know," Zevon disagreed, "Who else is going to push back on his business synergy lingo bullshit?"

Mamoru laughed. "I suspect it's a lost cost Zevo-kun."

"So what do you do Furuhata-san?" Zevon asked.

"I also am in the family business! But nothing so grand as a global industry. My family owns a strand of restaurants throughout Tokyo and I spend most of my time running one of them. It's just a little hangout spot for teenagers mostly, but it's my favorite establishment of all that we own."

Zevon was surprised at how quickly the evening passed by – he felt engaged in the company and conversation. He gaze hadn't wandered to the female variety at all the entire evening. Normally, he was so fidgety he couldn't sit still or focus on anything in such a loud environment.

The only hiccup was when Zevon had tried to close out his tab.

"It already been paid for sir," the bartender informed him.

"What? By whom?"

"Hayashi Nobuo arranged to cover all of your tabs at your table. Is this a problem?"

Zevon released a sigh of exasperation. "No, no, it's fine.

"Thanks Nobuo-kun!" Motoki cooed.

"Yeah, thanks man," Mamoru echoed.

Zevon forced himself to nod in agreement, though he wasn't sure he felt particularly grateful. On one hand, he had just sat through essentially a corporate slogan sales pitch on values-based healthcare, whatever that actually was and so he felt entitled to have his drinks paid for as compensation. But on the other side Zevon suspected that Hayashi made the gesture more to establish his own status, than it was to treat all of them.

Then he left roaring away in a red convertible Ferrari.

"You lasted the whole night," Mamoru commented as they watched Hayashi drive away with a dignified wave in his red convertible Ferrari.

"Is that guy for real?"

Mamoru laughed. "I know he's too cool for his britches and a tad condescending at times, but if you grow up spoiled and with millions, how can you not be?"

Zevon grunted by way of response. "It's fine Mamoru-kun. Clearly I enjoyed myself – I lasted the whole evening."

"I wasn't going to say anything."

"Have a good night! Say hello to your lady for me."

"Will do," Mamoru agreed with a smile. And they parted at the corner.

…

"Surprise!"

Ami groaned as she reluctantly widened the door to let the three girls in. "What are you all doing here?"

"We're throwing a "Cheer-Up-Ami-because-she's-the-sweetest-most-deserving-girl-and-Ryo-is-an-idiot party!" Minako spoke rapidly managing to get out the whole thing in one breath.

"He is not!" Ami countered immediately.

"Also!" Minako said over the objection, "I live here!"

"I don't," Usagi said as she greeted Ami with a hug, "but I hope you'll have me anyway!"

"You won't even let us bad mouth your ex?" Rei mock complained. "Come on Ami-chan! You don't have to be loyal anymore. Let us at least vent our own frustration and anger with him." 

"We're certainly not going to let you sulk all evening blaming yourself!" Makoto chimed in as she came in from the kitchen holding out a platter full of mini cakes toward her graceful, if emotionally distraught, genius roommate.

"You made honey-peach cake?" Ami asked, her eyes softening in acceptance of the event.

"With sugared pistachios! Just for you!"

"Mina-chan, don't you have a shoot tonight?" Ami asked around a mouthful of her favorite Makoto delicacy. 

"Would you believe that both my make up artist and photographer came down with food poisoning?" Minako exclaimed dramatically.

"No," Ami said flatly. The other three girls laughed.

"A more likely tale is that Minako told them that she had food poisoning," the tall brunette chimed in. "But that's what friends do," she chided Ami before the girl could object.

"We thought we'd start with a make-over!" Usagi exclaimed excitedly.

"Have you ever thought about dying your hair black?" Rei threw in casually, holding up a box of the appropriate color.

Ami turned toward the miko in horror, "Absolutely _not_!"

The girls relented and let her get away with keeping simple. She received a matching manicure and pedicure, followed by a rejuvenating facial treatment. And Ami kept touching her fingers to her face reveling in how soft her skin suddenly felt.

Usagi then insisted they all watch a movie together. It was ridiculous – and Ami found herself laughing in spite of everything.

…

Zevon held the receiver to his face listening to the rhythmic ringing – counting each one as it passed.

"Hi Zevon," the familiar alto voice spoke into his ear.

"I didn't wake you up did I?" he asked urgently.

"It's eleven in the morning here Zev. Are you drunk? Usually, you know the time difference better than I do."

He blushed guiltily, grateful that she couldn't see him through the earpiece.

"It's fine," she assured him. "You can drunk dial your mother. She's the one person in the world that always wants to hear from you."

"It's not a drunk dial," he insisted defensively. He wasn't _that_ far gone. He called her intentionally once every week. "I just went out with the guys. Just came in. Figured it was Saturday morning for you. "

She laughed. "I do not understand how you manage to live in a residency and still go out. You sure you're studying enough?"

"Yes mom. You know that I always put my patients first," he assured her.

"And are you sleeping? A full nine hours?" she interrogated.

"You know I'm fine. How are you?"

"All of my advisory got accepted into college!"

"Congratulations mom! I know that's four years worth of work and endless patience finally paying off."

"We spent the week celebrating. The students threw me a surprise appreciation party yesterday. They even brought in a gluten free cake!"

"Thoughtful of them!" He commented smiling at the anecdote. She was having a good week. That meant he would sleep well tonight. 

…


	3. Defying Expectations

A/N: I'm a little stuck in Going it Alone right now, which is SO frustrating because the story is SO CLOSE to being finished, but in the interim, here's an update on Ami and Zoi! Thanks to everyone who has taken the time to favorite, follow, and review!

 **Chapter 3: Defying Expectations**

The synthetic music of a ringing phone tore him from his dream of horseback riding over rolling golden hills of waving autumn grasses.

His eyes shot open taking in a familiar vinyl record covered ceiling. His father would have been appalled at the damage and loss of so many classics. The phone was still ringing.

He fumbled for the device and managed to unlock it before pulling it sleepily to his cheek.

"Hello?" he mumbled in English.

"Is this Dr Zevon Stone?" in Japanese. The blond resident forced himself to sit up and switch himself over to Japanese – no small feat for his slightly throbbing head.

"Yes, what do you need?"

"The on-call resident it out and we need coverage for half of the shift."

He cursed in English.

"Only half?" he asked stalling for time to take stock of his own condition.

"Chiba Mamoru volunteered to cover the first half of the shift."

"Over achieving bastard."

"What was that?"

"Nothing! What time?"

"The second half of the shift starts at two this afternoon."

He glanced at the clock that read 8:36. He could pull that off.

"Yeah, I'll be there."

"Thank you Doctor Stone."

He tossed the phone to the other side of his empty bed as he allowed himself a moment trying to recover the vestiges of his dream memory. He had been riding a horse – a chestnut beauty with a white star. He hadn't been alone either. Had Mamoru featured amongst his companions? That seemed to fit, but the others felt unfamiliar to his conscious self.

The feeling of the camaraderie, good natured banter, and unquestioned trust still clung to him, and served as true motivation for wanting to recall the experience. But he could not remember what had been shared.

He sighed, forcing himself out of the warm sanctuary of his bed.

It was just a dream – he had real life to attend too.

…

Ami descended the familiar set of crystal blue stairs that led down to the senshi command center as she sipped at her coffee. She normally detested the stuff – couldn't stand how jittery it could make her, but she hadn't been able to sleep the night before – too busy mentally agonizing over all the things she had done wrong in her relationship. She had learned after a few midnight senshi battles, that the extra caffeine rush could help give her the burst she needed to survive the day.

"Morning Luna, Artemis," Ami said softly coming up behind the two Mauans who had their furry black and white heads together over one of the monitors. The feline heads swiveled towards her in greeting.

"Good morning to you Ami-chan," Artemis said warmly.

"Ami-chan," his dark haired companion began more gently. "You didn't need to come in. We're just going over the data from the attack. It's nothing we can't handle on our own."

"If it's all the same to you Luna, I could really use the mental distraction of pouring over data."

"Oh!" the dark feline responded with wide understanding eyes. "Of course!"

"What have you figured out so far?"

"Well, it's similar to the Dark Kingdom's techniques of draining energy."

"So this new enemy is collect life energy?" Ami summarized with the question. "What could that be used for?"

"Not exactly," Luna countered. "Their delivery method is similar, but they don't seem to be stealing energy, but rather planting it within the individual."

The bluenette winced. "That means we will have to track all the victims for potential side effects."

"Luna is already putting together a list of the victims," Artemis and we were brainstorming a list of factors that we should be looking out for."

"What have we got so far?" Ami asked after another sip of her mocha. The stuff was getting more bitter with every sip. Perhaps next time she would ask for extra whip cream.

Perhaps the young blond resident should have been overjoyed after getting Mamoru's update. Almost all the trauma victims from the youma attack had regained consciousness and were displaying no symptoms other than a slightly elevated white blood cell count, which wasn't at all concerning. All of them were scheduled for discharge to create more beds for incoming patients.

But instead, Zevon was pouring over the three patients that remained in their coma state. He was going through lab tests and MRI results and nothing showed any indication of any underlying problem or cause. He wracked his head trying ton conclude what the next logical round of tests should be. There were some mysteries where he wished for the resources that some of his former classmates had at giant teaching hospitals, where they could just run everything at once, but this hospital had limited resources and he had to move forward gradually.

"Dr. Stone, I didn't think you were going to be here today," a familiar female voice said warmly.

Zevon lifted his head from the charts spread across his table to greet his supervising attending doctor, Mizuno Saeko, warmly with a genuine smile.

"Yes Dr. Mizuno. I am covering this afternoon."

"Well, if you have a moment, I would love to have a word."

He quickly folded the spread out charts, stacked them atop one another, rose to his feet, and gestured that he would follow her.

"Have a seat Dr. Stone," she directed as she led him into her office. She took a seat on the other side of the small wooden desk.

"What can I help you with Dr. Mizuno?" he asked as he composed himself.

"I wanted to encourage you to apply to for the Chief Resident position," she said quickly.

And that was what he loved about Mizuno. She was direct and to the point, always efficient in her feedback both positive and negative, and she did all of that with this aura of caring warmth that never seemed to fade even when she was making her displeasure known.

"You are our top choice. You not only know the protocol, you are excellent with both the patients and with the new interns. You hold them to high standards, but still help them develop confidence."

"I learned it from the best," he quipped back.

She gave him an indulgent smile. "And too charming for your own good," she added.

"I appreciate your confidence in me Dr. Mizuno, I am sorry that I must decline."

Her blue eyes widened in shock.

If the circumstances had been different, the second year resident might have laughed – it was not often that Dr. Mizuno was rendered speechless.

She cleared her throat to collect herself and then asked, "May I ask why?"

"I'm too young Dr. Mizuno," he automatically objected knowing he was a full two years younger than most of his peers. "The other residents that feel they have been usurped will resent me and the new residents will have a hard time taking me seriously."

In reality he feared that he was too self indulgent and selfish. He didn't trust himself to not favor those he knew and liked over others who were better at the job. He had long ago learned that he was not to be trusted with the reins.

"What is this based on Dr. Stone? Usually your analyses are based in solid reality," she barked, so frustrated with him that she did not bother countering his points.

He knew as well as she did that his argument was meritless, but he wasn't willing to share his past with her. Instead he rose to his feet, and bowed politely to her.

"Thank you for your consideration Dr. Mizuno. I apologize for not living up to your faith in me."

Then he silently exited the office.

He ran a hand through his hair once he was safely on the other side of the door.

He needed a drink.

...

Ami sat with her hands folded carefully in her lap as she sat across from Ueda Fumio, her academic advisor. She had been so involved with the brainstorming session with Luna and Artemis that she had almost forgotten about this meeting – only her phone reminder had enabled her to arrive on time. And the second she rushed out the door, her devastation at her recent break up wrapped around her like a unwanted scratchy cloak. In retrospect, she probably should have rescheduled this appointment. She not in the mood to be particularly reflective and she didn't trust herself to be able to totally focus on his words.

He met her eyes and then sighed dramatically.

She internally cursed, though her face remained smooth. He was bringing down a reprimand. She definitely should have rescheduled this meeting.

"Mizuno-san, you perform beyond the highest standards of our university. You have broken several of our previous records in your test scores and university grades. To be quite honest you are not only one of our top candidates. You are _the_ top candidate."

"Thank you sir," she said as she nervously pushed a blue lock behind her ear, waiting for the 'but'.

"It's my duty to inform you however, that we are concerned."

"May I ask why?" she replied automatically looking down at her once again folded hands, though she had a fair idea herself.

"You seem distracted. Your attendance is inconsistent and multiple professors have noted that you have a tendency to leave in the middle of class. During your labs your attention is often elsewhere instead of focused on the task at hand."

"With all due respect sir, if disappearing during lecture does not affect my performance I don't see how you can hold it against me."

"You cannot not show up to surgery Mizuno-san."

"I was not planning on becoming a surgeon."

"That is not the point Mizuno-san."

"What is the point?" she asked very carefully keeping her tone light trying to hide the defeat she felt.

"Your future patients cannot afford for you to be distracted and anything less than absolutely determined."

She stared at him in stoic silence, doing everything to maintain her poise and calm expression. She could not let him see her crack. They might loose all faith in her if she fell to pieces.

"We are just worried about you Mizuno-san," he said into the silence, "and want to encourage you to remove any distractions from your life so that you are able to meet your full potential."

"I appreciate your concern and your offer of support sir. For now, I believe I am able to handle things on my own. I will keep you apprised if that should change."

She stood up gracefully, smiled politely, and left without waiting for his response. She had to escape before her tears betrayed her.

…

"They offered me the chief resident position," he whispered into the phone speaker.

"Congratulations!" she gushed excitedly with the pride that only a mother could convey in a single word. He winced at her reaction.

"When do you start?" she asked.

"Umm…" he ran a hand through his blond locks – the hair was really getting too long – he needed to cut it again.

"You didn't take it," she realized. "Why didn't you take it?"

"I'm not suited to it mom," he insisted letting himself fall backwards onto his bed, keeping the phone pressed to his face.

"I highly doubt that. No one is more opinionated concerning patient care protocol than you."

"How are _you_?" he interrupted.

She sighed. "Dr. Mayors cancelled our appointment," she answered, allowing the subject change.

He winced. The geneticist's office had never been reliable.

"Did you call the social worker?"

"It's not to that point yet Zev, we'll give the doctor another week. I've written in my calendar when to call the office back."

"You're far too understanding," he affectionately chastised.

"Better that, than angry all the time."

He gripped the phone hard, wondering if she was chastising him. He doubted it – she was always genuine.

"So when are you coming home?" she asked.

"I don't know. I'm really swamped," the excuse, though true, sounded inadequate even to his own ears. The truth was he, couldn't go home. He hadn't been back in over two years. The guilt would eat him alive.

" _Zevon?" the young girl asked in a small voice at his elbow._

The blond teenager barely registered her presence, engaged in the story his friend was telling.

"Zevon?" she tried again. He turned to her.

"What's up?"

"I think there's something wrong with your brother."

"Your father's been asking about you. I think he misses you. You could call _him_ once in awhile."

"I will," he promised though he knew it wouldn't happen. They got along well enough but they had nothing to say to one another. His father had no interest in his day to day life – just wanted to know his son was okay. And Zevon didn't really want to listen to an hour of him complaining about local politics.

"Sleep well Zevon. I love you."

"Love you too mom."

…

Ami slipped her key into the lock – and shouldered the green door open. The block of wood had a tendency to get stuck without the added force.

"Hello?" she called into her childhood home where her mother now resided alone. Ami had been hoping for a shoulder to cry on or an attentive ear to listen to her rail about the injustice of her professors' and program's expectations.

There was no response. The apartment was dark and quiet. Her mother clearly wasn't home, which shouldn't have been a surprise.

She stepped further into the familiar living space anyway, slipping off her shoes and flipping on a light. The apartment was a cluttered mess – old sweaters and coats lay tossed onto the couch, three or four days worth of dishes littered the coffee table, and copies of charts lay strewn across the corner of the floor.

Ami moved into the kitchen, to find it surprisingly clean. No doubt, her mother barely used the room – usually ordering in. Her eyes immediately drifted to the dry erase board on the fridge, and there was a note written there like Ami hadn't moved out three years previously that read, "Ami, I'll be home late tonight. Order yourself something in!"

Ami erased the note and replaced it with a, "Stopped by while you were away. Miss and love you!"

She replaced the pen with a sigh. It was just as well – her mother would have wanted to know why she was missing class just as much as her advisor would. And Ami had never explained her paranormal responsibilities to her mother, though the other girls insisted that she could.

She knew that they were right, but she had never been able to bring herself to come clean. She was very close to her mother, but had always felt the need to protect the other woman. Her father leaving had destroyed the older woman for awhile. And Ami never wanted to give her mom reason to fear that Ami might leave her as well, even if it wasn't by choice.

She picked up the landline phone and dialed a local restaurant amused that she still had the number memorized. Then she curled up in her favorite chair and waited for food to arrive like she was still seventeen years old waiting for her mother to come home.

…

Mamoru stepped out of Dr. Mizuno's office and immediately whipped out his phone, dialing the obnoxious blond resident that had somehow become one of his closest friends in the last two years.

"Hey Mamoru-kun!" the other voice greeted jovially in English. "What's up?"

"You turned down the Chief Resident Position. Why?" He demanded immediately.

There was a pregnant pause followed by a sigh. "How'd you know?" his friend finally responded.

"They offered it to _me_!"

"How does that lead you to the conclusion that I said no?"

"Because they like you more! You're charming – forever the diplomat. You play the stupid game. I just show up and do my job!"

"That's exactly why I don't want it. I don't like politics."

"You _thrive_ on politics!" the raven-black haired man countered in frustration.

"Mamoru-kun, I don't have to justify myself to you."

Mamoru frowned. "Fair," he finally conceded not sure why he felt so invested in his friend's career. He wasn't even this much of a busybody when it came to Motoki! "You do realize this means I'm your boss right?"

"I can live with that," Zevon replied calmly. "You'll always do the right thing."

Mamoru was taken aback, never have seen his friend so serious outside of a patient's room. There had to be more to this, but a lover of his own privacy, Mamoru was not about to pry.

…

The brunette cracked open an egg expertly allowing its contents to slide into her batter before tossing the shells aside when she heard the front door creak open. Makoto poked her head around the corner to see which of her scarce roommates decided to put in an appearance finally.

"Ami-chan! You're home late!" Makoto greeted before returning her attention to her batter by rapidly whipping her egg into the current mixture.

The blunette wandered into the kitchen a minute later with a reserved smile. "What're you making Mako-chan?" she asked as she reached a long delicate finger to taste a bit of the batter.

Makoto flicked her friend's hand away while clucking in disapproval.

"I'm practicing a red velvet cheesecake for a competition this week! Don't mess with my ingredient ratios! You can have some of the finished product."

Ami laughed, holding her hands up in mock surrender before she settled for leaning her back casually against the counter.

"So what's going on with you?" the aspiring chef asked into the prolonged silence.

"What do you mean?" Ami said, her stormy blue eyes averted.

"You're in the kitchen trying to steal sweets like another blond or two that we know, instead of having your noise buried in some indecipherable latin medial text," Makoto observed.

"I don't always study every minute of the day," Ami objected.

"No," Makoto agreed, her gaze focused on whatever kitchen thing she's doing. "But you're in the kitchen with me, which tells me you want to talk about something. So what gives?"

Ami was silent for a moment before she launched into a precise summary of a meeting with her academic advisor. Makoto didn't say much – she simply offered a moan or two of frustration and a dash of righteous indignation on her friend's behalf at the appropriate moments. Ami didn't need a solution or advice. They both knew there was nothing to be done. It was just nice to know that someone else could understand the frustration of a dual identity.

"Thanks Mako-chan." Ami concluded at the end of her tale.

"Any time Ami-chan!"

"You know, you'd make an excellent mother," her friend commented.

It was Makoto's turn to blush. She hoped so, but she was missing a crucial ingredient in that recipe.

"I'm going to go start working on that indecipherable text," her friend called back as she moved gracefully out of the kitchen. "Let me know when I am allowed to eat some cheesecake!"

…

A/N: They might actually meet in the next chapter! Yay!


	4. An Unexpected Encounter

A/N: That two chapters in ONE day! That's definitely a personal record. Hope you enjoy!

Note: There is a sex scene in here, but nothing is explicit so I left the rating at T. Feel free to tell me if you disagree.

 **Chapter 4: An Unexpected Encounter**

Ami Mizuno glanced down at her phone to check the time before she entered the restaurant where Mamoru's surprise party had convened. She was running far too late to be part of the "Surprise!" but she had promised that she would make an appearance.

Mamoru himself had requested it.

She hadn't been particularly surprised that he knew of the event. Usagi was nothing if not predictable in her spontaneity.

She made it through the doors and almost immediately turned around. This just wasn't her scene. Between the flashing lights, the disco balls, the incredibly loud trance music whose beat seemed to permeate through her chest, and the wall to wall bodies pressed together on the dance floor, she felt beyond over-stimulated and overwhelmed.

She preferred small get togethers and intimate dinner parties thrown with people she knew well. Places where there were no flashing lights, endless drinks, or crowds of strangers.

Before she could make her retreat, someone had taken her hand and squeezed affectionately. She glanced up into knowing serene turquoise eyes.

"It is good to see you, Ami-chan," the older woman greeted gently.

"Michiru-chan," Ami greeted in relief, taking solace in the familiar face. "I don't suppose you can help me find Mamoru-kun and Usagi-chan so I can manage to escape before my social anxiety gets the better of me?"

"Come now Ami-chan, stay with us for a bit longer. You might even meet someone!"

Ami snorted. This was the _last_ place she wanted to meet someone. Talk about incompatible. Michiru and Haruka both had a habit of match-making though, and would never give up.

She made herself step into the throng. She had to hand it to Usagi – her blond friend had taken this year's party to a whole new level. There was even a dance floor.

Luckily it didn't take long to find Mamoru tucked away in a corner with a drink in one hand, Usagi at his side, surrounded by friends both familiar and not to her. She managed to weave her way to his side.

"Salutations and Happy Birthday Mamoru-kun!" she shouted over the din of music handing him her present. "Looks like Usagi-chan has brought your party to a whole new level this year!"

"I had help!" the blond interjected, but smiled at the compliment. "Do you think it's too much?" she asked loudly.

"Of course not!" Ami lied brightly. Usually she was a terrible liar, but she had the ability to say anything she needed to with a straight face if it meant Usagi kept smiling.

"Oh good! I was nervous you would take one step into this monstrosity and want to bolt."

Ami blushed at her friend's accurate assessment and wished that perhaps she had just this once been a little more honest if only so Usagi would not subject her to more of this kind of event.

"I'm going to grab us some more drinks," the blond announced cheerily rising to her feet. "Will you keep my seat warm Ami-chan?"

The blunette moved forward to comply only too happy to be seated next to one of the handful of people at this gathering she knew somewhat well.

"And when I get back Mamo-chan, will you dance with me?" she called into Mamoru's ear. Ami would not have been able to hear had she not been sitting right next to the black-haired resident.

"I would love nothing more," he whispered back sweetly.

Ami blushed at the affection the two obviously shared, and tried to quash the rising thoughts of Ryo's various displays of affection. While at the time, she had found the gestures somewhat tacky and embarrassing, she now missed them.

"I really appreciate you're coming," Mamoru commented into her ear. "Honestly, this is a bit much even for me."

"You lied to Usagi-chan too, didn't you?"

He shrugged. "I admit nothing."

She grinned, appreciating that even on _his_ birthday he was making a point of trying to put her at ease. "It's okay, I won't tell on you if you don't tell on me."

"Deal! You might as well make your escape while you can Ami-chan. I will make excuses for you with Usagi. One of us at least should benefit from a quiet evening!"

"You're the best Mamo-chan!" she exclaimed, feeling relieved. "I owe you one!"

"I will remember it when you start your residency at Tokyo General," he quipped back.

"Happy Birthday!" she called with a departing wave.

She was almost halfway to the door, when someone turned into her.

She gasped at the feeling of a cold liquid, beer by the smell of it, spreading across her chest, and she looked up into wide horrified green eyes.

He cursed in another language – English she was fairly certain by his accent, but she had never bothered to learn inappropriate words in either English or German in her studies of the two languages. "Sorry!" he apologized quickly in Japanese.

He turned away rapidly, flowing blond hair neatly tied back at the nape of his neck whipping out behind him, towards a passing waiter. He turned back to her just as fast with a towel in hand and started trying to wipe away the spill across her blouse.

Ami fought the blush that arouse at his familiar touch and tried to comfort herself with the fact that he was obviously gaijin and most likely meant nothing by it. She managed to gently wrestle away the towel from his hand so she could take over the task herself.

It was a hopeless cause anyway.

"Let me buy you a drink to make it up to you," he offered rapidly obviously afraid he had offended her.

Before she could decline he had somehow managed to grab a overflowing frosted mug and handed it to her.

She glanced down at in uncertainly, wondering if she was being offered stolen goods.

"I know the owner," he shouted by why of explanation. "I'll make it up to him too!"

Against her better judgment she took a sip, and tried not to wince. The stuff was awful.

"So… how do you know Mamoru-kun?" he asked casually.

"I… uh… I'm friends with Usagi-chan," she explained looking down into her unappealing mug wondering how she could get rid of it without being rude. "Known Mamoru for years mostly through her. But he used to help me with my homework throughout high school… and college too, now that I'm thinking about it."

"That doesn't sound like him at all! He has no patience."

She laughed. "Except for Usagi," she countered absently, starting to wonder how to end the conversation so she could finally leave.

"So how did you get him to help you?" he asked.

She felt the heat rise to her cheeks again at the question. "Let's just say… he doesn't really _need_ any patience when working with me."

His golden eyebrows rose at the implication.

"So anyway," she temporized. "How do _you_ know Mamoru?"

"We're in the same residency program at Tokyo General."

Her eyes widened at this news, and suddenly her fumbling for an exit strategy left her completely.

"Oh! Are you planning on specializing in anything?"

"Metabolic Genetics – preferably pediatrics, but that depends on which fellowships I get into. Why are you so interested?"

She blushed. "I'm a first year in med school. I am totally guilty of collecting the experiences of others."

He smiled. "So what else would you like to know?"

"Umm… why'd you come all the way to Japan? Couldn't get into a residency in America?"

He grinned at the challenge. "I have a pretty impressive resumé. Graduated med school top of my class from John Hopkins University."

"Is that supposed to be impressive?"

"It's the second best nationally ranked medical school in the United States! I could have had any residency program I chose!"

"So why'd you come here?" she asked again.

He paused. "Honestly? It was the furthest I could get from home."

She laughed. "Don't like your family much huh?"

He shrugged, maintaining that maddeningly superior smile. "What about you?" he asked, changing the subject, "Why do you want to be a doctor?"

"I just know that I'd be insanely good at it and I would be contributing to something worthwhile."

"Modest much?"

"You don't seem to value modesty," she countered, though she could feel her face once again burning in embarrassment. She usually _was_ modest. Didn't know why she felt so competitive all of a sudden. "And you?" she added, feeling the need to push the focus away from her.

"Me?" he repeated in confusion.

"Why do you want to be a doctor?"

"I screwed up once. A long time ago and someone that I cared about has spent the remainder of his life in recovery. So me spending a lifetime healing others seemed like an appropriate way to make up for that."

Ami stared at him awkwardly having no idea what to do or say to that.

"I'm sorry," he said, placing his hand as the base of his head, "I didn't mean to make things awkward. I honestly can't believe I shared that. I usually give a much better stock answer."

"No, no, it's fine," she reassured. "I appreciate your openness and honesty."

"Really?"

"Yeah," and she took a gulp from her cup, needing an excuse to break eye contact. "So does this person have a metabolic disorder?"

"What?"

"The person you care about… Do they have a metabolic disorder?"

"Yeah, how'd you know?"

"That's your desired specialty," she said feeling like it had been rather obvious. "But those are inherited, so how would it have been your fault?"

He thread a hand through his hair and turned away, his eyes becoming unfocused.

"I'm sorry!" she immediately apologized before he said anything, the heat returning to her cheeks. "I suppose that was a rather personal question. You do not have to answer it."

He grinned and she couldn't help but return the expression.

"So… do you live around here?" she asked.

…

She hadn't intended for the night to get physical. She had only been asking about where he lived because she lived on the other side of the city, and she had been hoping they could go some place quieter to continue their conversation.

So when the front door closed and his lips were on hers before she had taken off her shoes, she pulled back, startled.

"I'm sorry," he stammered, his sparkling green eyes swirling with embarrassment. "I assumed…"

Feeling a bit reckless, she interrupted his apology by crushing her lips back to his, breathing in the smell of beer and peppermint. Damn propriety to hell! She wasn't looking to fall in love. That didn't mean she couldn't enjoy herself in the meantime.

She tore off his jacket and then the button up shirt that was underneath and let her hands explore his toned lean chest, slightly shocked at her own forwardness. But she didn't stop, feeling liberated and free for once in her life.

She gasped in shock as his colds hands slipped under her blouse and instantly brought goose bumps to the surface of her pale creamy skin. His hands seemed to know her body better than she herself did – his caresses drew out shivers and lances of pleasure.

It was nothing like she had felt before. She had always had to try so hard with Ryo. But somehow pouring herself into sharing this very physical moment with a virtual stranger was as natural as breathing.

…

Zevon felt lost in the sensations of long delicate fingers that teased and enticed. He felt wound up as tight as a violin string, his whole body throbbed, begging for release.

He had assumed she was more of the shy type and was pleasantly surprised at how much initiative she took.

It was driving him to madness. Yet, he fought his own body – begging it to slow down. He wanted to explore her and her reactions fully. He delighted in her shivers and little gasps, barely noticing the moans she tore from his throat.

When they were both sated and he would have normally rolled away and fallen asleep, he turned to her instead. Wide blue orbs blinked at him. She had such beautiful eyes. Deep blue that sparkled like the Atlantic Ocean at high noon. He brushed a strand of hair out of her face so his view of them was unobstructed.

She looked away nervously. "Kami-sama! I'm so embarrassed!"

"You have absolutely _nothing_ to be embarrassed about," he assured her, hoping he would be blessed with her line of vision again. "Trust me."

She blushed. And he realized that it wasn't just this girl's face that turned pink – her whole body flushed. He had never encountered such a phenomena and he found himself entranced.

"I just… don't normally do things like this. I'm usually far more cautious," she admitted.

"I'm honored you let your hair down for me. I enjoyed it immensely."

"Thank you. I did too."

He kissed her nose and pulled her against him and fell asleep in seconds never having felt so content.

…


	5. The Next Morning

**Chapter 5: The Next Morning**

 _He towered over her slight form. Her eyes that swirled with a cold fury he had never seen in her before._

" _I don't want to hurt you," he said softly._

" _You don't have to," she countered seriously._

 _He was on top of her. His mouth pressed gently to her soft lips leaving behind a kiss as tender as a soft white dove._

" _Thank you," she whispered._

" _For what?"_

" _Thank you for loving me," her eyes shone with the magic and sincerity he had come to live for once upon a time. And he kissed her once again knowing it might have to last him a lifetime._

"…and thank you for making this so easy," her tone had changed to ice.

 _He jerked away realizing her intent too late. He never saw the ice lances blasting from her hands, but he felt them ripping through his own torso._

Zevon tore awake clutching at his abdomen. He lungs clawed for air sending him into hyperventilations. He clutched the cotton sheet in his feet trying to calm his racing heart and slow his panicked breathing.

It was a dream.

There was passion he had never experienced in the flesh, flashes of blue and ice, and a pain that had flashed through his entire being. But the details were fading fast and he let them fly away. He didn't want the memory of the nightmare, he kept running a hand across his stomach soothingly still expecting a icicle to be protruding from his waist.

The events of the previous evening caught up with him. His guest from the previous evening was gone. She had left no note, no articles of clothing. The only trace she had been there at all was the small indent left by her head in the pillow beside him.

It was almost as if the night might not have even happened.

Which was how he preferred it honestly. No strings attached.

And yet, today he felt strangely disappointed – wishing he knew the girl's name.

If nothing else, he preferred to be the one doing the cold brush off.

He sighed running a hand through his unruly blond hair. He certainly had no right to complain as he had done this to so many others.

His phone was already ringing. He cursed at the caller ID that displayed the hospital's number. It was supposed to be his day off!

…

Aino Minako normally was one to sleep in, but her latest shoot had been forcing her to become an early riser and even though she hadn't come in until three in the morning, she still woke up at six as she had all week and had been unable to fall back into slumber.

She had only given up when her stomach had started complaining its lack of fuel. With a sigh, she tossed the blankets aside and stomped grumpily to the kitchen in search of nourishment.

It didn't take terribly long to heat up a bowl of leftover natto Makoto had made for the three of them anytime they didn't feel like cooking for themselves, and for Minako that was pretty much always.

Just as she had settled silently she heard the door being unlocked. She poked her head around the corner and watched in amusement as Ami made every attempt to close the door after she had slipped inside as quietly as possible.

"And where have you been all night young lady?" the blond mock interrogated.

Her blue haired whirled around her eyes wide like a deer caught in a set of headlights.

"I… uh…" the usually composed senshi of the mind stuttered, a pink blush suddenly rising to her cheeks.

Minako dropped her chopsticks back into the bowl, the last few bites of natto forgotten.

"No way!" she screeched excitedly.

Ami whirled away rapidly, but she hadn't been fast enough. The blond model had already seen the heat burning across her roommate's face.

"Really?!" Minako continued, still in delighted disbelief. "You go girl!" She flashed the girl a V with her fingers.

"Minako-chan really, it's not like that!" the other girl objected.

"So you didn't have sex last night with some guy that you just met at Mamoru's party?" she asked leaning as far forward as she could on the couch.

Ami's blush deepened further. "Okay, so it is completely like that," the genius admitted meekly.

"My Ami-chan is all grown up," she mock sobbed with an added sniff for effect.

Ami shot a throw pillow at her. Minako caught it easily and clutched it to her midriff trying to stifle her sudden maniacal laughter.

"So…? What's his name?" the blond gushed, scooching forward as far forward as she could on the couch.

Ami's blush resurfaced.

"You don't _know his name_?" Minako gasped incredulously, this scandal was getting better and better. "Ami-chan!"

"It never came up…?" she hazarded.

Minako waved away her embarrassment. "His name doesn't matter! How was it?" the blond asked eagerly.

"Freeing," she admitted.

"See! Meaningless sex serves its purposes sometimes! Hopefully you won't judge me now."

"I have never judged you," Ami whispered defiantly.

Minako arched an eyebrow in silent challenge.

Ami fidgeted. "Okay! So maybe I disapproved. But never judged! And only because I thought you deserved something better! Something real!"

"Well, I want that too Ami-chan! But that kind of connection doesn't just fall from the sky!"

"So what are you doing up so early in the morning?" Ami said, changing the subject rapidly. "I was counting on the fact that you're never up before noon!"

Minako grinned superiorly. "It's a secret!"

"It won't be for long if someone thought they could trust you," she mocked.

"I can keep a secret!" Minako protested.

The blunette stared at her blond roommate in disbelief.

"I can keep a secret when it's important!"

"Uh huh," she said, her voice dripping with skepticism.

"Ugh! You know how to take all the fun out of everything!"

Before the blond could continue taunting Ami about her secret gossip, both their communicators went off simultaneously.

"Guess the fun will have to wait," Ami said, turning serious immediately.

…

Zevon exited the subway mumbling to himself. He really didn't want to head into work today, but Dr Mizuno had called and told him that had a patient diagnosed with intractable epilepsy and she assumed he would be interested.

And he _was_ , he just was still out of sorts from the dream. He tried to shake himself out of it. It wasn't like he was hungover or anything. He had only had one drink. He had spilled the second one.

He smiled at the memory. That had certainly been his luckiest accident in awhile, thinking of the petit blunette from the evening before. It really was a pity he didn't know her name. Why had he never asked for it?

The scream should have warned him, but it hadn't really registered lost as he was in his own thoughts. He was suddenly rudely torn from them as he was thrown from the sidewalk against the side of a concrete pillar he has just been walking past, before falling again to the pavement below.

He couldn't have screamed even if he had wanted to as the air in his lungs abandoned him in the impact. He tried to move, to lift himself up, but every muscle in his body protested in agony.

What had hit him? He ignored the pain and forced himself to sit up.

Just across the street the monster, or youma he supposed as the Japanese liked to call them, rampaged through structures and people alike. He didn't know how to describe the beast – it was lithe and fast like a trained runner, but definitely not human – the sheer size of it easily towered over the two senshi that stood in opposition roaring in rage.

The senshi were a beauty to behold. They moved with certainty and grace without an ounce of the hesitation Zevon was certain he would feel faced with such a creature. The golden one danced in circles around the beast, somehow always staying just inches out of its reach.

Her counterpart dressed in blue leather boots that came to her knees, a short ruffled skirt of the same color and a white leotard completed the fuku battle uniform. She stood at a distance with a blue visor covering her eyes hailing down icy destruction to cover her ally, screaming out orders and instructions.

They made quick work of the beast as if it were nothing.

The monster that had just flung him aside like he was nothing more than a strand of spaghetti had been similarly defeated by two petite women in ballet tutus. He hoped to never be standing on the opposite side of a battlefield of the female warriors.

A shiver ran down his spine.

The golden senshi ran toward him, and he felt himself tense in fear.

"Are you okay?" the she asked him. "Did you get hit by any of the blasts?"

He stared at her dumbly, as his silver tongue failed him for the first time in his life.

"Sailor Mercury can check you out," she offered when he remained silent. He turned his gaze to the senshi in blue.

 _"…thank you for making this so easy," her tone had changed to ice._

 _He jerked away realizing her intent too late. He never saw the ice lances blasting from her hands, but he felt them ripping through his own torso._

"No!" he shouted, pushing the girl away. "I'm fine!" he insisted.

He just needed to get away from them, before they found reason to kill him.

Ami sat with Luna and Artemis preparing their notes for the senshi meeting scheduled for later that evening as it was now apparent that last month's random attack was not a fluke, but part of a larger pattern.

"I suppose the good news is that we have two data samples now," she commented out loud trying to force herself to see the upside of the situation.

"But we don't know anything," Artemis complained. "There are too many people to track with too many variables to consider. We can't manage it all."

"You're assuming that something will happen. This new enemy may not be organized. It may just be chaos infecting random individuals that then lash out. And the victims won't be affected in the long term at all."

"The fact that each victim has been hit with some energy signature makes me suspect otherwise," the white feline interjected. "For all we know all victims will transform simultaneously into the monsters that we've been seeing at some date in the future."

"Regardless, we have to keep the database up to date," Luna finally chimed into the discussion. "Let's only track the first set. But that way if we notice any patterns, we can use the second group to test our hypotheses."

"And the third and fourth group," Artemis threw in.

"What do you mean?" Ami asked absently as she scanned through the list of names – trying to commit them to memory."

"Only that with two attacks, we now have to assume the first event wasn't a freak accident as you said earlier. There will be more."

Ami sighed in exhaustion. "And to think I was just getting accustomed to the perks of getting full nights of sleep on a regular basis."

…

A/N: This will probably be my last update in this story for awhile as I have finished my first story arc and the next one still needs some fleshing out! But I have made huge progress on the outlines of my last two chapters of Going it Alone! So hopefully during the gap I will finish that story! I know at least some of you will be excited about that! Hope you are enjoying!

If you're looking for more Ami/Zoi cuteness I recommend The Guardian of Old London Town by Sophi-Lou. She has mastered Ami's inner voice so completely. This story is just too cute! And Ami/Zoi just doesn't get enough attention I'm discovering...

Reviews are love!


	6. Symptoms

Thank you to LadyiiV, A Summer's Melody, WholeLotofNope, slightyxjaded, KageNoNeko, and Augustine for your thoughts, comments, and reviews. You keep me going when I am banging my head against the wall trying to write.

 **Chapter 6: Symptoms**

The dark haired young man lying in the hospital bed looked to be eighteen or so. The now chief-resident glanced down at the chart – nineteen apparently.

"So Shima-san, what brings you to the emergency room today?" Mamoru asked. Though he had read through the nurse's notes, he preferred to hear from the patients directly. Otherwise, important details often got lost in the translation.

"I've been sick for awhile doctor, and I just haven't been getting better."

"When did your symptoms start?"

"About a week ago?" the patient said uncertainly, his head cocked to the side as he considered the question. "Maybe a bit…"

He broke off suddenly – his body arching violently in a coughing fit. Mamoru jotted down a few notes about the sounds of the cough, but he was already worried that he had just discovered case number three of their mystery disease.

At the conclusion of the interview, his assessment hadn't changed. He quickly paged Mizuno Saeko, needing to report his suspicions to her.

"What do we have?" his older blue haired supervisor asked peering over his shoulder at the chart in his hands.

"You got here fast," he commented as he turned to face her directly.

She gave him a withering glance, and he took that as a signal that he would receive no explanation and should simply get on with it.

"He's reporting abdominal pain, a persistent cough, some respiratory distress, and skin lesions characterized by erythematous papules across his ventral torso."

"The lesions are most likely unrelated to the other symptoms, perhaps due to a prior condition."

Mamoru shook his head in disagreement. "I do not believe so. This is the third case we've had in the last two days. The symptoms are all the same."

He did not miss her eyes widening for just a second before she took a calming breath.

"This is why you paged me," she concluded.

He nodded in confirmation.

"I want you to check in with all teams," she ordered. "I want to know how many patients are suffering from this same condition over the next week. And I want you to call in the infectious disease specialist."

"You think it's an epidemic?"

She shrugged. "We don't have enough information. Not with three patients. But this is concerning and I'm not taking any chances."

He nodded again, this time in agreement.

"How is Ami?" she asked.

Mamoru felt thrown by the question. It took a second for the inquiry even to register through his tired brain. Mizuno Saeko never mixed personal and professional ties.

"Doctor Mizuno?" he questioned uncertainly.

"She visited me a few nights ago when I wasn't home. And I miss her," she added.

"She was well last time I saw her. Perhaps a little… worn down at the moment."

The older blue-haired attending smiled affectionately. "Glad that medical school is enough to stretch that girl."

"I don't think medical school is the problem."

Sharp eyes drilled into him and he regretted letting the information slip. Ami loved her privacy as much as he did.

"I'm sorry, perhaps it's not my place. I assumed you already knew what had happened. You should speak with Ami-chan yourself."

He thought she was going to argue, but she settled for a penetrating glare and he struggled to maintain his resolve.

"Carry on Doctor Chiba," she finally relented, before marching smartly away.

He moved to the doctor's lounge and began his research for a disease matching his symptoms. There were dozens that matched the description and he needed to narrow it down further, so he moved on to the image libraries hoping he could identify something through the lesions.

"Ooh!" a familiar tenor hissed at his ear in sympathy. "That's a _nasty_ rash!"

Mamoru glanced up at his blond coworker in surprise. "What are you doing here Zevo-kun? Isn't this your day off?"

"Doctor Mizuno called me for a potential case study I might be interested in."

Mamoru nodded. "What's the case?"

"Cryptogenic epilepsy with intractable seizures."

"Sounds fun," Mamoru commented dryly, turning back to the paperwork he was pouring over.

Zevon continued to stand over him, but he remained silent.

"You okay?" Mamoru finally prompted not at all accustomed to a hesitant Zevon Stone.

"Are the Sailor Senshi accountable to anyone?"

That was the second completely unexpected question of the day! Mamoru felt like it was raining water balloons. "What?"

"I mean do they follow some kind of code or law? Are they _answerable_ to anyone?"

"Why do you ask?"

Zevon shrugged. "I just watched two petite women in mini-skirts take out a beast four times their size."

Mamoru knew nothing of this latest incident, meaning Sailor Moon had not needed to make an appearance. Obviously, it had turned out okay with Zevon before him talking about it flippantly.

"And don't get me wrong," his friend continued to ramble, "I think they just saved my life. They are amazing and I was kind've floored at how powerful they seem to be."

"They saved your life?" Mamoru interrupted urgently. "What happened? Are you okay?"

Zevon waved away his concern as if it was nothing. "Got the wind knocked out of me. It would have been far worse had the senshi not struck the instant I had been thrown. Anyway, it got me thinking. What if they decided at some point to seize power. Would _anyone_ be able to stop them?"

Mamoru fought off an amused grin. He had carefully cultivated an "anti-vigilante" persona amongst his circle of friends that only Motoki had finally seen through, and he had rants prepared that were backed up with statistics and studies. He thought about launching into one of them. But there was something in Zevon's countenance – the way his green eyes bored into Mamoru demanding answers, that the Terran prince could not dismiss. His friend seemed genuinely concerned, frightened even, though the blond was trying to feign idle curiosity.

"Zevo-kun, the senshi fight paranormal creatures not of this world. They don't fight crime, and they mostly try to stay out of civilized society that we have built."

"But what if that changed?"

Mamoru thought of what he had seen of Crystal Tokyo in the future. He honestly hoped that future never came to pass. It had been peaceful, but in a cold exile kind of way. He wanted nothing to do with political power and knew Usagi, at least, shared his feelings on the subject. They both wanted to keep their regular life with each other and their friends.

"I think the sailor senshi and their allies would only become reluctant leaders."

"Have they ever killed anyone?"

" _Where's the youma?" Mars demanded, as she landed neatly in the alleyway at his side._

 _The masked man remained tight and alert – the unnatural beasts could come out of shadows._

" _There's nothing here," Mercury reported from the other side of the alleyway, her blue visor obscuring her crystal blue eyes._

" _There has to be! Luna detected an anomaly – she's never been wrong," Sailor Moon insisted._

" _Wait! I've got something!" Mercury exclaimed and ducked further down the narrow gap passed a pile of trashcans, the other senshi at her heels. She knelt to the ground. Tuxedo Kamen saw as she swayed – the body on the ground buried in the debris. So small – just a child. "We're too late," Mercury whispered in horror._

 _The Lunar Guardian was in his arms sobbing for the soul she could not save. He automatically brought his arms up around her, his own mind numb with disbelief._

They had failed.

"They are not always able to save everyone," Mamoru explained carefully. "But there is no record of them ever attempting to harm a civilian."

" _Never_? Not even an accident?" Zevon questioned relentlessly.

 _He felt the life draining from the woman before him, his hand pressed against her chest. He felt drunk as her life's blood pulsed into and through his being. Only once she had been drained down to a husk, did he release his hold on her, and she collapsed to the ground, unmoving._

" _Mamo-chan!" a shrill voice screamed. "What have you done?"_

He turned to face the irritating blond heroine that haunted and stalked him, during both his waking hours and his time spent asleept. No matter how carefully he planned, she found him. Even when he spent hours on his knees praying to Metallia, her blue eyes still haunted his dreams judging him for the countless atrocities he had committed.

She didn't understand - couldn't understand that Metallia's Awakening would bring about a new and better world.

"That is not my name," he barked coldly.

"Endymion," she corrected dismissively. "How could you do this?"

"I serve her majesty, Queen Beryl. The Awakening is upon us. Their pathetic lives have been sacrificed to a much greater cause," he preached.

Her sad disappointed eyes tore through him. He leapt away, needing to flee from her piercing gaze that made his whole body tense and his throat tight with emotion he did not understand.

 _He would definitely have nightmares tonight._

The dark haired resident's grip around the pen in his hand tightened, and he forced himself to let go of the simple utensil before he broke it. He ran a hand through his raven hair instead. _  
_  
"They are not going to hurt you, Zevo-kun," Mamoru said tightly, adamant the statement would remain true.

"How can you be so certain?" his blond friend asked.

"I have been rescued by them once before. Motoki-kun and Reika-chan too."

"How does that prove anything? I was just rescued as well."

"Because if they wanted to, they could take power. And you're right. No one could stop them. And yet, they never do. They never interfere. What more could they do for you to trust them?"

Zevon shrugged. "I don't know. That much power… it just scares me. It's so easy for power to corrupt."

Mamoru grunted in response remembering his own defection. Zevon only knew the half of it.

"Well, if the senshi ever go dark, we'll just have to stand up against them," Mamoru joked.

"What? You and me?" Zevon repeated with a snort.

"You wouldn't stand with me?" Mamoru asked, with dancing eyes.

"The scary thing is, I probably would."

The grin slipped from Mamoru's features at the serious tone his friend used. "I'm honored."

"Don't let it go to your head!" Zevon shot back.

Mamoru shrugged. His grin returning. "What? You just agreed that you would take on the Sailor Senshi with me. That's quite reckless!"

"You and me against all the Sailor Senshi? The world is so fucking screwed."

"Nah, we could take them," Mamoru quipped back, not sure if this was even remotely the case. He was certain both Makoto and Rei could beat him to a pulp single-handedly. Ami was beyond resourceful, and you could never predict what Minako would do when cornered.

And he _definitely_ did not want to cross his future wife.

But he couldn't help the grin that bloomed at the thought of his friend willing to face that kind of power with him.

…

Ami sat at a nondescript brown wooden table at the med school library. She had arrived for the study group approximately fifteen minutes early, and was using the time to go over her research notes of her contribution to the group.

"Mizuno-san!" her chocolate-brown haired friend greeted sliding into a seat across from her. "So nice that you could make it today!"

"Tomita-san! It's good to see you too! I feel like we've been making it to opposite sessions."

They chatted for a few minutes as their peers arrived. There were five of them in total, and just as Tomita-san had begun her explanation of vaccine theory, her pen started flashing.

She internally cursed. This new set of youma just had the _worst_ timing! She made a show of looking at her phone with a gasp.

"I'm so sorry!" she interrupted. "I have to go!"

"Mizuno-san, we just started."

"I'm so sorry," she said again with a bow of her head. "It's a family emergency. I'll try to be back before you're all done to share my research."

She dashed around the corner, and pressed a finger to the communicator she had installed in her blue pearl earrings.

"Mercury! I apologize! I know you needed this study session, but no one else is remotely close to this one!"

"Luna!" she gritted back with impatience. "We've been over this. Senshi duty _always_ comes first. Where do I need to be?"

"Of course! Four blocks west, one block north."

"On it!"

As far as combat was concerned, the encounter could not have gone smoother. She arrived, knocked the beast unconscious with a boulder of ice, stayed on site checking the victims, of which there were only five, and they were all stable – for once, no casualties. Once Sailor Moon had arrived and healed the monster, she was on her way back to the study group.

The whole event had still taken a little over an hour, including travel time. So, when she arrived back at the study group, she was unsurprised to find her peers wrapping up. She had just enough time to share her contribution with the others. She hadn't been able to benefit from any of the research that they had completed.

"I can copy my notes for you tonight Mizuno-san," Tomita had offered.

Ami nodded gratefully, knowing that while she would still have to spend time filling in the gaps, the outline would give her a framework that would save time.

It didn't help that she had missed another lecture yesterday that she still had to make up.

Then her phone buzzed in her hand, and she glanced down at the notification informing her that her mother had just left a voicemail.

She sighed in resignation. It was looking to be a long night.

…

 _Slender fingers danced along his form – teasing and enticing. He felt lost in the sensations, the world blurring around him as she took him to new heights never before experienced. Lilting laughter followed in the wake of their lovemaking and he allowed himself to drift asleep in the comfort of his greatest love's embrace._

Zevon tore awake with a moan – his heartbeat throbbing in his ears even as he gasped for breath. He lay there with desire pulsing through his form, feeling none of the contentment of his dream.

He brought a hand to his head trying to decide which he hated more – the sex dreams or the nightmares of his own death. Either one would leave him unsettled for the day.

He rolled to his side and took in the slight form at his left cocooned in a down comforter. Her name was Miyu. She was sweet, shy, and very sincere. And apparently could not stand to share a blanket. She had reminded him of a certain mystery bluenette, with her blue eyes and her hair cropped short to frame her face. He knew that a few week's ago he would have enjoyed her company and her companionship immensely, but he had spent the previous evening distracted even though he was trying to distract himself from the distraction.

He wanted to laugh. Here he was sleeping beside a gorgeous girl and he found himself wishing she was someone else. What was wrong with him? He glanced at her form again.

 _The ancient ceremonial dagger tore into her soft tissue with ease. He laughed with manic glee as fountains of deep red gushed in response. She woke in that moment her eyes wide with fright, her mouth rent through the silent night, demanding her fear and horror be heard. His only response was to smile as her screams buzzed pleasurably along his bare flesh._

He tore backwards, stumbling out of previous haven of silk sheets and down blankets, in effort to get away from this sweet girl and the twisted images of his head.

She murmured in question at his startled movement. He shushed her back to sleep and retreated to the sanctuary of isolation to be found in the front living space.

He ran a hand through his hair trying to focus on his breathing, trying to slow down his panicked gasps. What the hell was that? He did not just have a violent fantasy being turned on by carving up some innocent girl!

He unlocked his phone and on autopilot selected from his favorite contacts. The call only rang once.

"Zevon, isn't it like four am there?" his mother's familiar voice greeted him.

He let her motherly concern wash over him like a cleansing water. He allowed himself to slide down a wall and sink to the hardwood floor.

"Zevon? Are you there?" she asked.

"I… couldn't sleep," he admitted. "I've been having nightmares."

"Do you want to talk about it?"

"Not really," he definitely did not want to explain what had been flashing through his mind moments prior. "Just wanted a distraction. How are you?"

The other woman sighed. "My therapist is in Ireland," she said by way of response.

He felt his body tense in concern again.

"I'm fine Zev, just out of sorts and scattered. The school year is wrapping up and the students are getting beyond squirrely, I have a mountain of grading looming over my head, plus everything at home. And without the space to re-center and process the daily stressors, I'm feeling a little thin. But please don't worry about me."

"I always worry about you," he admitted. "You and Teddy."

"We're doing okay Zev. Other than nightmares, how are _you_?"

He didn't know how to answer that question. He felt very aware that he was calling her at four in the morning, sitting on the floor letting the cold seep into his pores. Clearly he wanted something from her. Some kind of comfort or assurance?

"Zevon?" her concerned voice calmed him again.

"Mom… I think I made a mistake," he confessed.

She did not utter a word, obviously waiting for him to continue.

"I… met a girl at Mamoru's party. I treated her rather… casually.

His mother snorted. He ignored her amused derision.

"But mom, she was amazing. I didn't even realize I was interested until she was gone. And now, I can't stop thinking about her. She haunts my dreams, and no one else compares."

The older woman laughed.

"Mom!"

"You're being rather dramatic Zevon. You barely know this girl. You spent one night with her if I know you. Don't you think you might be building her up in your head a bit?"

"I've tried to move on! But it just doesn't work."

He was greeted with a long silence, but he didn't press.

"Well, in my experience the world is a rather small place. If it's meant to be, I'm sure you'll run into each other again. Don't waste a second chance."

He sighed.

"I'm sorry that's not very helpful. But you can't change what has happened. Is something else bothering you?"

He considered telling her more. About the dreams – about the nightmarish violent fantasies that left him chilled to the core. Nightmares where he was sometimes perpetrator and other times the victim.

"No mom, things are going rather well actually," he said instead. "I have a new patient that I've been following closely. A girl with intractable epilepsy."

"How is she?" his mother asked with heart crushing empathy. "Have you found the cause?"

"Not yet, but we still have lots of avenues to explore."

"Well, you have to find the answer Zevon. Don't rest until you do. _Nothing_ is worse than not knowing.

"I know mom. I know. I love you. Give my love to Teddy."

"We love you too Zevon. I hope you get some dreamless rest."

…

Ami woke with a start to find her textbook glued to her cheek via her own drool. She sat up from the coffee table and wiped her mouth with the back of her hand, sighing in frustration. The medical student had fallen asleep halfway through her planned all-nighter. She gathered up her books and notebooks and trudged to her own room, contemplating allowing herself to take a nap – just an hour or two would do her wonders, she was certain.

She quickly set two alarms on her phone before tossing it and her books to the desk beside her bed.

She tried to fall into the bed only to yelp as she landed on some kind of box. She flipped on a light and glared at the unexpected obstacle. The yellow light revealed a white cardboard box – a package addressed to her. She caught the name on the return address and tossed it back to the bed as if burned.

It was from her father.

She hadn't heard from him in years. How did he even have her address at all? She contemplated opening it, but decided against it. Instead she tossed the offending cube under her own bed and turned to the comfort of her blankets.

Suddenly, she found sleep completely out of reach. Moments before her eyes had been threatening to fall closed mid step, but now she was seething.

She tried to take a few deep breaths. She didn't even know what he wanted. It had probably been childish to refuse to open the package. But she wanted nothing from the man her gave her his genes.

The communicator interrupted her thoughts and for once, she was glad.

…

"What do we have?" Zevon barked as they rolled the patient into the Emergency Room with the paramedics and nurses surrounding him – alarms going off.

"Trauma victim from a youma attack. We have hemorrhaging from the left femoral artery. Blood pressure is down distal pulses are absent from his left leg."

"He needs a transfusion now and I want an angiogram ordered immediately. Keep pressure on the puncture wound. Mamoru had taken over for the paramedic and held the bandage down, while the nurse handed him the hypodermic needle and the blond resident immediately moved to find a vein. He excelled at this kind of precision work.

 _The ancient ceremonial dagger tore into the soft tissue with ease. He laughed with manic glee as fountains of deep red gushed in response._

He dropped the needle to the ground and stared at the patient in shock.

"Dr. Stone!" he glanced up into the familiar midnight blue eyes of his best friend that swirled with urgency. He felt his pulse slow and he took a deep breath and recentered himself.

He took up a second needle from the tray and began again. The hollow needle penetrated and landed on the thick pulsing vein immediately.

"Nicely done," the nurse said at his ear. The fact that she felt the need to comment on the most basic procedure irritated him.

They gave him a pint under close monitoring – never removing pressure from the wound. Zevon wanted to see the blood pressure stable before they sent him down to the OR. When the orderlies arrived to take him, he was stable enough – the nurse taking over for Mamoru.

"That was completely unlike you. What happened?" Mamoru demanded to know. And from his tone, it was the chief resident asking – not his friend.

Zevon just stared at him.

"You need to take the rest of the day off. Go home and get some sleep."

Zevon nodded in agreement, accepting the censure in his boss's voice.

"We can maybe get a drink later?" his raven haired friend offered with a softer tone.

"I would like that, but can we go some place quieter? I don't think I can handle the club scene tonight."

Mamoru smiled. "I know just the place. I'll text you the address."

…

Ami's phone vibrated again. She glanced from the research paper she was studying to the screen below. It was her mother. This was the second call in as many days.

"Hey mom. Everything okay?"

"It's fine! I just saw that you visited and regretted that I wasn't home. Have been wanting to catch up."

"I'm been incredibly busy, but I'm fine."

"Ami-chan, I must admit I have an ulterior motive to calling. Doctor Chiba let something slip on accident, and I've been worried about you."

"Mamoru-kun let something slip?" Ami repeated incredulously.

"Yes, he said it wasn't really medical school that was the source of your stress."

"Oh…"

"You can talk to me Ami-chan."

"I know, I wasn't trying to keep anything from you. I did try to come by."

"I understand. So, talk to me now."

The offer felt so good. She wanted to tell her mother everything – about the latest attacks and about leading a double life on top of med school. But if she was going to reveal herself as Sailor Mercury she really wanted to do that in person.

"Ryo-kun broke up with me," she admitted softly.

"Oh my goodness Ami-chan! I'm so sorry! What happened? Are you okay?"

"I'm fine really. The reason he broke up with me was that I wasn't really committed to the relationship. And I realized that he's right mom. I'm so focused on everything else I never appreciated him. He was just comfortable."

"Even if all that is true, which I'm not certain that it is completely fair, it doesn't mean it doesn't hurt. It's okay to be hurt, to be angry."

It was like a dam had burst and suddenly the blunette couldn't hold the tears at bay.

"Ami-chan, I'm sorry. I didn't mean to make you cry."

"No, mom," she managed between sobs. "It's okay. It feels good to have you take my side. I miss you."

"I wish I could give you a hug. When are you next free?"

…

A/N: OMG! I've been trying to write so much lately and I've been getting exactly nowhere! It's been so frustrating! But I felt really mopey this week, which ironically made this chapter much easier to write. And it feels REALLY good to get this out!

I swear I've made some surges of progress in Going it Alone too after reading Ikigai by FloraOne (go check it out!) – that's just a massive chapter as it's a conclusion, so it takes some time! It's gotta be JUST right!

Please help my momentum continue with a review or comment because reviews are love!


	7. Scars

A/N: Thank you to slightlyxjaded, KageNoNeko, isa1981, LadiiV, Ghost Man, James, Birdsong, A Summer's Melody, megdotcom, Astraearose-silvermoon, and Sage McGavin for your comments on the last chapter! I'm not sure I ever responded because my summer was filled with grad school, but it's always AMAZING to hear how you relate to these characters. Often motivate me to write when I should be doing homework instead.

Note: I didn't bother proofreading this because I have to grade papers this afternoon, so please forgive typos. **  
**

**Chapter 7: Scars**

Zevon walked along the sidewalk of block forty-two weaving through the pedestrian stream like a salmon against the current, the late afternoon sunlight snaking its way through the maze of skyscrapers. He just needed to find building number twelve, but of course he had already walked past building fifteen, two, seven, and three - in that order!

He shook his head at the insanity of the Japanese addressing system, wondering if he would ever get used to it. How did it make sense to number things in the order they were built rather than sequentially along the perimeter? In Japan, more often than not, building number one was likely to be found on the opposite side of the block as building two with every haphazard number in between them. He never knew when his number was coming up until he actually was at the building, so he was never confident he hadn't missed his address.

Ah! There was the number twelve in golden Latin numerals, he noticed with some relief that he wouldn't have to go traipsing completely full circle around the monster sized city block. His eyes moved up to the sign above the automatic doors. The Game Center Crown?

An arcade? Surely, this wasn't where Mamoru wanted to meet him. He glanced back down at the text he had received a few hours earlier. Sure enough, it read block forty-two, building twelve. With a shrug, he headed through the automatic sliding doors into the dimly lit arcade floor.

The blinking colored lights and a cacophony of overlapping synthetic musical intros assaulted his senses, but he found himself grinning at the playful ambiance. Booths and tables outlined the large gaming area, and a large sign above the stairs in the back indicated there was a Fruit Parlor upstairs.

The blond resident, still dressed in his blue scrubs wandered around looking for his dark-haired friend, still uncertain if he was in the right place. Maybe Mamoru had typed the wrong number for the street address or something.

"Can I help you?" a girl with bright red hair greeted from behind him. She held an empty grey round tray to her chest as she gave him a friendly smile.

"Uh…"

"He's with me Zaki-chan," a familiar baritone interceded on his behalf and Zevon whirled around to greet his friend who had apparently just arrived.

"Mamoru-kun!" she gushed excitedly. She threw herself into an enthusiastic hug with a level of familiarity that unnerved the blond resident. Without thought, he pulled her back by the shoulder roughly, ripping her away from the embrace.

"Don't touch him," the blond warned harshly. "He's already taken."

Two sets of eyes – one emerald green and the other midnight blue – blinked at him with identical expressions of outright bewilderment.

Zevon's heart pounded rapidly, adrenaline surging through his veins as he stood ready to fight, though he didn't know where to direct this restless anxiety. Mamoru reached out and put a hand on his arm, and it was like the internal storm raging within evaporated – like fog burned off by the sun. He could breathe as he released tension he hadn't known he had been feeling.

"Easy Zevo-kun," the other man cautioned.

Zevon blinked at the warning, baffled that he needed the calming correction. Why had he reacted so strongly? He felt out of control and obsessively protective of the cobalt-blue eyes that considered him in concern.

"She's known me since I was ten. This is Furuhata Unazaki, Motoki-kun's little sister."

The waitress's confusion dissolved into a dazzling smile with the introduction. "Yes! I'm beyond aware that Mamoru-kun is taken! He and Usagi-chan's daily shouting matches and resulting courtship are like _legendary_ at the Crown _and_ the Furuhata household!"

"Which are practically the same thing," Mamoru snidely commented.

"Dating Mamoru would be like dating my brother and I already have a boyfriend," she continued rapidly, ignoring his friend's interjection.

Mamoru's midnight blue eyes swirled back to the redhead at her latest pronouncement, and Zevon actually managed a small laugh at the overprotective suspicion playing out across his friend's face. Big brother indeed.

"I apologize for my outburst," the blond greeted, plastering on his own disarming smile. "I've been on edge all week, but I should not have taken it out on you."

She smiled and waved away his concern. "I understand. I imagine being a doctor is beyond stressful! So, what can I getcha both?" she asked, whipping out a white pad of paper from her white apron.

"I'll take my usual Zaki-chan," Mamoru told her.

"Straight black coffee with a double bacon cheeseburger and a side of fries, coming up! And you, Zevo-san was it?"

"Zevon," he corrected.

"Zevon-san," she repeated.

"And I don't know… what do you recommend? I'm usually suspicious of french fries on this side of the Pacific."

She laughed. "I'm partial to the milkshakes myself. I have no idea how the french fries here compare to the ones in America, but they go pretty well dipped in a chocolate malt shake."

"You've convinced me. The chocolate malt shake with a side of fries. And can you add a regular burger with no spread?"

"Sure thing!" she said brightly, and zipped away with their orders.

"What is this? A children's arcade?" the blond resident asked, gesturing towards the tall consoles.

"I kind've grew up here. The place always calms me."

"Seems far too chaotic to be calming," Zevon commented, taking another glance around the open play space, but he felt he knew what Mamoru meant. The place had and innocent charm to it – a living symbol of the youthful carefree days of childhood.

"As opposed to the clubs you like to haunt?" Mamoru commented with an arched eyebrow.

"Touché," Zevon agreed with a nod.

"So, what is going on with you?" Mamoru asked.

Zevon knew the question had been coming – truly it was the whole reason he had agreed to meet. However, now that it was out in the open, the blond doctor in training had no idea how to answer.

Did he even know himself?

He found himself chuckling darkly with a slight hysterical edge to it, his face clutched between his two palms, allowing just enough of a gap that he could easily see the ocean blue orbs that eyed him with concern. He wanted to confide all of it – the disturbing nightmares, the obsession with the blue haired girl from Mamoru's party, his flashes of violence, and his increasing short temper. But in this moment, he realized that he cared what the young man across the white formica table thought of him.

He cared _a lot_ – more than he ever had before.

"Mamoru-kun, why do you want to be a doctor?" he found himself asking.

His friend was silent for so long, Zevon wasn't certain he would answer the question.

"I was in an accident when I was six years old. Neither of my parents survived. I woke up in the hospital with retrograde amnesia – I had no memory at all."

"You're an orphan?" Zevon concluded with a start. Mamoru had always struck him as rock solid – envisioning him as a lost little boy was difficult.

Mamoru ignored the pointless question, and continued with his narrative. "The first person I spoke to was my doctor. I was terrified and confused, but he seemed totally confident – certain both in himself and in me. Later, when I was discharged and transferred to the orphanage I remember assuming all adults would have that same foundational stabilizing attribute, but I quickly realized I was incorrect."

"And I decided, he was the only person I wanted to emulate. I wanted to be able to face tragedy and loss with strength and stoicism."

"You wanted to be a doctor because you wanted to be able to wall yourself off from your pain?" Zevon paraphrased in surprise.

His ebony haired friend shook his head. "I wanted to be able to guide others through theirs the way I was guided through mine."

The blond resident remained silent, considering this new side to his friend.

"And then later, I discovered that I also have a natural talent for healing – seems like it'd be a shame to waste it."

"Ha! And the arrogance returns," Zevon teased.

Mamoru shrugged with a small smirk. "What about you? Why do you want to be a doctor?"

"I have a little brother with a freakishly rare genetic disorder called Adenylosuccinate Lyase Deficiency – it's characterized by severe mental and psychomotor retardation, intractable epilepsy, axial hypotonia, and various autistic behaviors."

"What's his name?"

"Theodore, but we call him Teddy. The nickname is appropriate it more ways than one," he shared with an affectionate smile.

"How old is he?"

"He's thirteen, but in terms of development – he's probably about nine months."

"So, you wanted to be a doctor to take care of, or find a treatment for, your brother."

"Not exactly. Honestly, it's probably too late for him. His prognosis is not great – many of these kids die in early infancy. Though if they survive the first two to three years, they tend to fair better, but they don't usually make it to twenty regardless.

"No, I wanted to become a doctor to make up for what I did to him," Zevon confessed staring down at the folded paper napkin on the table.

"What happened?"

 _He stared at the blonde women through the reflection of the mirror. Her eyes did not meet his, focused on the tiny brush she used to paint her eyes, enhancing the green of her irises with her choice of eye shadow. Finished with that task, she started fishing through her jewelry box at the back edge the vanity's table top._

 _"Please?" the teenaged Zevon begged.  
_

" _Zevon, your father and I have to go to this conference. You've known that we needed you to watch your brother for weeks now. You had no objection at the time," his mother patiently admonished, never turning toward him, as she slipped simple crystal studded earrings into her ear._

" _Yes, but that was before I knew Justin was going to throw a party!"_

 _She turned to him at that point. "And I'm sorry. We could not have anticipated that. But you know why we need_ you _to watch him."_

" _Watching him is boring!" he complained. "He's like a vegetable!"_

She turned toward him then - slapped him, quick across his right cheek. It didn't really hurt – but the action itself shocked him. He spluttered for words, but they remained elusive as he stared at her, feeling betrayed more than anything.

 _Her face immediately crumpled with regret. "I'm sorry!" she gushed. "I didn't think." She reached out for him, but he jerked away from her olive branch and then turned to go find the prison keeper that was his little brother. There was no point in complaining – he wouldn't get his way. His mother_ always _put Teddy first._

 _The little boy rolled jerkily around on the floor a few feet away from a twin sized white, black, and red quilt. Red was one of the few colors the child of two reacted to. The blond teenager grabbed a toddler sized foot and dragged the child back to the center of his floor blanket before plopping down on the ground beside him and pulled out his phone, sending off a quick text to his best friends, Daniel and Cameron, that he wouldn't be able to make it, before opening up a game of snakes._

"Yeah, you enjoy ruining my social life, don't you?" Zevon cooed at the child in the high-pitched voice people often used around infants.

"Oooh!" Teddy responded, his lips in a little 'o' while his green eyes opened wide trying to take in his elder brother's face.

"That's what I thought," Zevon growled out, his attention never straying from the puzzle game on his phone's screen.

" _Zevon!" his father called. "We're leaving now. Should be back by about nine tonight."_

 _The teenager grunted his acknowledgement._

 _A few minutes later, the sound of the car could be heard revving out of the drive way. It faded into the distance and the house grew quiet, the only interruption an occasional light touch from Teddy's uncoordinated and flailing knee or arm that had rolled into his side. His game eventually grew frustrating and he tossed it aside and just stared at the ceiling above him, feeling trapped and resentful._

 _He jumped at the sound of another car pulling into the driveway, and rose to his feet taking a glance out the window. He smiled as the tall blond, Cameron jumped out of an old beaten up jeep and started calling his name, followed a second later by the even taller brown haired Daniel._

He ran to his door, swinging it open in surprised welcome.

" _What are you doing here?" he asked them._

" _We're here to pick you up for the party!"_

" _I can't go!" the blond railed. "I have to babysit my brother."_

" _Bring him!" Cameron insisted. "I dug out my sister's old car seat from the garage so that he could ride in the jeep. It's pink, but I doubt Teddy will mind."_

 _"And Suzy can watch him. He'll be fine," Daniel encouraged.  
_

" _I don't know…" Zevon said uncertainly, knowing no one was as qualified to watch his brother and his unique challenges as himself. Suzy was Justin's little sister, she was only twelve. But then he glanced down at the flailing toddler – it's not like Teddy was difficult to watch. He was so calm and happy pretty much all of the time.  
_

 _It didn't take much convincing. He grabbed the diaper bag and enough baby food for the evening and scooped up the child from the ground, earning a delighted coo as a reward._

"Do you want to go to a party Teddy?" Zevon asked. "There's a pretty girl who'll play with you!"

" _Oooh!" the child cooed, as his uncontrollable arms slapped him across the face._

 _And twenty minutes later, Teddy was stowed away in Suzy's bedroom being happily fed by the younger girl, and Zevon had just been handed an Xbox controller and he lost his blue three-dimensional avatar into the confines of a tank – and was gleefully mowing down the red spartans of the Halo 2 Universe._

 _Completely focused on the outcome of the match that was currently tied forty-nine to forty-nine, he didn't immediately notice the timid brunette at his elbow._

 _"Zevon?" she asked in a small voice._

 _The room exploded in an uproar as he took out an enemy ghost in satisfaction to win the round._

 _"Zevon?" she tried again, a bit louder to cut through the cacophony of teenage boys throwing playful insults at one another._

 _He turned to her, with a satisfied smile. "What's up?"_

"I think there's something wrong with your brother," she said, not meeting his eyes as she writhed her hands nervously.

He felt the blood drain from his face in an instant. He dropped the controller to the ground and took off running into the other room, knowing exactly what was wrong.

He kicked the door open and slid to his brother's side – his tiny limbs contorting outwards at strange angles, stiff and unnatural, as if possessed.

"How long, Suzy?" he asked coldly as he dove for the diaper bag, and tore into the small pocket on the side.

"I don't know…" she whimpered. "Five minutes? Maybe more?" she guessed. He cursed.

 _He pulled out the Ziploc bag of emergency medicine and cursed again – he only had one tube, half a dose. Hopefully it would be enough. "Pull off his pants and take off his diaper," he directed as he ripped open a packet of lubricant and pulled out the last remaining plastic tube injector._

"What?!" she objected. "You promised I wouldn't have to change his diaper."

"Do it!" he roared, before biting the plastic cap off the tube and dipping the tip into the packet, to cover it generously with the slippery lubricant.

 _He moved towards his now bare bottomed sibling, inserted the tip of the tube, pressed the injector tab down, slowly counted to three, and prayed while he watched the clock atop Suzy's pink nightstand.  
_

 _A minute went by and the tiny blonde's body seemed to relax with a deep sigh, and Zevon felt relieved. A minute later, the boy's body went rigid again before it started to quake with more unnatural convulsions._

 _And he didn't have any more emergency medicine. He hadn't given enough and he most likely had administered it too late anyway. He hadn't refilled the backpack – just assumed that it was full. His mother always restocked the bag._

"Call 911!" he barked. "Ask for an ambulance!" And Suzy rushed to obey, while he just held the child's tiny shaking hand.

" _I'm sorry Teddy," the teenager cried. "I'm so sorry."_

"The paramedics couldn't break the seizure either. He was actively seizing for almost two hours when the emergency room personnel finally broke it. He slept for days. He suffered an acute brain injury and he lost almost all of his milestones. Head control, rolling over, eating by mouth – all of it. It took him years to regain what he'd lost, and some of it never came back at all."

"Was the status seizure unusual for him?" Mamoru asked stoically after swallowing a mouthful of his burger. Zevon had yet to touch the food that had arrived moments prior.

"The disorder is characterized by increasingly intractable seizures, so the status events were probably inevitable at some point. I know that in some sense, my guilt is irrational. I just… I can't help the 'what if's'. If I had been more attentive as the one watching him I would have caught it earlier. And you know the emergency meds work best if you administer them quickly. If I had never gone to that party, or had at least checked his medicine stock in the back pack, I would have had a full dose on hand. If I had trained Suzy in what to watch out for, she would have been more prepared or come got me sooner. Maybe… just maybe, I could have broken that seizure before it caused a brain injury. That we could have spent six or twelve more months or years even, feeding him cheesecake and taking him on the carnival rides he loved."

"Instead, he was sentenced to a wheel chair and a g-tube. Honestly, I thought he was going to die that day. To me he had always been a bother, a burden that kept my mother chained down and my father sullen with never-ending grief. I thought that we'd all be better off if he was gone."

"But that day, I suddenly realized that I loved him. That he was my brother. That I didn't want him to die, and because of me, he almost had."

"Has he taken a recent downturn?" Mamoru asked.

"Not as far as I know, but my mom doesn't tend to share the details unless I specifically ask. Why do you ask?"

"You have been distracted lately, and when I asked what was going on, you told me this story."

"Not directly related really. There's been a lot going on, and honestly, I haven't been sleeping well. I'm having nightmares, most of which I don't remember, but I wake up feeling guilty and that always makes me think of Teddy. I also have a new pediatric patient whose case reminds me so much Teddy. And I know I've just started testing, but every time I have to face the mother and tell her we have no answers, I hate myself."

"It's not your fault."

"You referring to my brother or the patient?"

"Both."

Zevon shrugged, refusing to agree with the sentiment. He started snacking on a fry using the excuse of his food to cover his lack of response. He knew intellectually that Mamoru was correct, but he didn't feel it. He wasn't sure that he ever would.

…

Ami had spent the entire morning organizing her desk and planning out everything she needed to do in order to be caught up. She felt immense satisfaction glancing at her work station of two neat piles – one of textbooks, the other of her notebooks – a pad of paper with a column of tasks for each class, and three colored pens. The whole array lit up by the natural sunlight that poured through her open window.

When she had time to implement it, her system never failed her. Her first column was already completely crossed out, and she was halfway through the second. If they were no more attacks she might even manage to get through all four classes, and maybe even start to get ahead in one or two of them.

"Don't jinx it Ami-chan," she mumbled to herself under her breath. She forced herself back to the text she was reading, quickly making shorthand notations in the margin and added to her notes as she went. She soon found herself completely engrossed in the endocrine system, and barely noticed that her source of light sank in retreat towards the horizon.

The jangling of keys at the front door pulled her momentarily from her zone of concentration, and she kept one ear open to see which of her roommates had arrived home.

"Ami-chan?" Makoto called as she came in the front door and closed it behind her. "You home?"

"I'm in my room Mako-chan!"

The tall brunette poked her head around doorway. "There's mail for you from the university."

"That should be my first rotation placement," Ami commented without looking up from her notes.

"They send it by mail? How archaic of them," Mako-chan commented, as she placed the letter to the side of her notebook. "Can I get you anything? Some brain food maybe?"

"I'm fine. Thanks," Ami replied absently and Makoto wandered back into what sounded like the kitchen if the opening and closing of the refrigerator and cabinets were anything to go by.

Ami stayed focused on the textbook until she finished the section, before allowing herself to open the letter that would foretell of her future schedule for the next twelve weeks. Assuming of course, that these attacks let up long enough for her to make it consistently to her shifts. She skimmed rapidly through the first page, which just outlined expectations and responsibilities of the program. This was her first of four rotations this year. She skipped to the second page, eager to learn her actual placement.

 _Rotation 1: Tokyo General  
Supervisor: Chief Resident, Chiba Mamoru_

Her eyebrows lifted in surprise as she scanned over the familiar name.

She unburied her phone from the pile of notebooks and sent a quick text with a smile. _Looks like somebody got a promotion! Congratulations!_

In many ways having Mamoru as her supervisor was a huge advantage – it meant that she didn't have to somehow explain senshi related disappearances. Perhaps, he could even offer suggestions in balancing the two responsibilities.

At that moment, her Amazonian roommate slipped back into the room and placed a plate of hiyayyako, a mound of tofu with sauce and overflowing with grilled mushrooms and green onions, on her desk next to her notebook.

"Mako-chan? I said I was fine," the long-time student objected, turning questioning eyes to her roommate.

"I heard you, but when was the last time you ate?"

"Uh…" she felt her eyebrows come together in concentration. "I had a bagel this morning…?" Or was it last night, she wondered.

Makoto laughed. "You don't even know! Just eat your food Ami-chan and don't complain."

"I just don't want to be a bother," the blunette mumbled, though she took up the plate and chopsticks and began cutting into the corner of the firm tofu, suddenly very aware of the empty void that was her stomach.

"It's a block of cold tofu Ami-chan! I just threw some soy sauce and herbs on the top to make it more palatable. No bother at all. I feel better knowing that you're eating something," her tall friend insisted, then took a bite off her own plate. "Did you find the package I left on your bed?" she asked again around a mouthful of tofu.

"Yeah, I saw it. Thanks," she replied absently allowing herself to focus on the food and the company for a few minutes rather than continuing onto the next section of her chapter.

"What was in it?"

"I have no idea. It was from my father, so I threw it under the bed and plan to leave it there until winter," she said with indifference.

Emerald confused eyes swiveled in her direction.

"Really? Don't you want to know what he sent you?"

"Not really," Ami responded coldly, flipping absently to the next page of her text.

"How does the curiosity not just eat at you? If I received anything from either of my parents I don't think I would be able to resist!"

Ami smiled at her friend gently. In some ways, it might've been easier if her own dad had died rather than just disappeared. "I know Mako-chan. I think the difference for me is that my dad had a choice. And he _chose_ not to be in my life."

"Maybe he regrets that now."

 _Angry shouts reverberated through the wall to the child of eight who sat on the floor in the corner of the room, her knees drawn to her chest as she fought to suppress her tears. Her slender body silently shook anyway._

" _You've never supported my creative vision!"_

"I suppose I've been too busy supporting your daughter while you are off on some drug induced high!" her mother screamed shrilly.

" _The drugs help the ideas flow!" he insisted._

"You were supposed to be watching Ami! What if something had happened?" she demanded. "Or is your creative vision more important to you than your daughter?"

 _There was no response. Ami held her breath at the sudden silence praying it was over. That this would be enough._

 _But instead, the quiet exploded with the sound of shattering glass like a bomb going off in the dead of night._

" _How dare you imply that I don't care for Ami!" his voice boomed back. "She is my life!"_

" _Then quit hurting her with your selfishness!"_

 _Not able to stand it anymore, the small nimble form leapt to her feet and ran into the front room._

"Please stop!" she begged through her tears. "Whatever I did, I'm sorry! I won't do it anymore!"

 _Her mother was at her side in an instant, protecting her in a warm embrace, murmuring reassurances the child could not hear through her own hysterical sobs._

Warm arms scooped her up and brought her back to the haven of her own bed, stroked her hair and her brow until the cries subsided and her tears dried. The older woman started to leave, but Ami quickly clutched her hand and pulled it back towards herself.

 _And so, her mother stayed until her eyelids fell closed and she dreamed of a magical palace in the sky. It seemed to float on the iridescent-white surface of a cloud, or perhaps the moon._

 _She stirred only once when a large warm hand caressed her cheek._

 _In the morning, she awoke to a painting of a blue bird flying freely through the sky, propped up at the foot of her bed with a note._

I love you little bird, it said. Never doubt it.

 _She tore from the bed into her father's den. She froze in uncertainty, taking in the empty shelves. His books, his paintings, and his easel had vanished as if they had never existed. She glanced at the cup at the desk. It was still overflowing with pencils and colored pens. But his favorite paintbrush was missing._

 _That's how she knew he wasn't coming back._

She glanced toward the nondescript brown package poking out from under the bed and considered the mystery it offered. He usually sent her exactly one hand painted card every year on her birthday. This package had arrived four months off the mark. Perhaps Makoto was right, and he was reaching out. She felt distant from that thought like reading about a character in a novel.

Ami shrugged at her roommate, "I've given him too many chances. I learned a long time ago that I had to not care about his feelings. I am _his_ daughter – it is not my responsibility to manage his emotions or to be the bigger person. _He_ is supposed to be the parent."

…

As long as he wasn't covering the emergency room, Zevon almost preferred the night shift. You came in – your patient was asleep, you charted some vitals without questions or interruptions, you left, and moved onto the next patient. You typically didn't have to worry about bedside manner or answering visitors' questions. There were the occasional night owls, of course, but often those were just common enough to provide a few short breaks of camaraderie throughout the evening.

He pulled out a small flashlight, and examined his current patient's lesions. Mamoru was specifically suggested the sores were the unique symptom in helping them identify this mystery disease. The bruising under the skin contrasted darkly with the pale skin beside it, a deep violet hue. He winced, the color a sign of a possible hematological infection and potentially deadly. He called for a nurse.

"I need you to do a blood draw immediately. Send some samples down to the lab. This is what you're testing for," he explained as he handed her the name of the bacteria on paper. "Page me as soon as you have results. In the meantime, I want antibiotics running through that IV at all times. I've already charted this, but I need it to start now."

She nodded with understanding.

"I also need you to watch his lesions. See their hue now?"

"Yes."

"I need you to page me immediately if you think they are getting darker."

"Sure thing Doctor. It's a shame," she said with a sigh as she shined the light on the deep bruises.

"What is?"

"That he's likely to scar," she said sadly. "I always hate it when disease leaves behind evidence."

"Scarring is the least of his problems currently," Zevon chided. "Keep me posted."

"I will."

Moved on to the next patient on his rounds. The patient was moaning. Turned into screaming. Nurse came running in, but Zevon had already woken the patient up.

He sat up gasping for air, then he was sobbing, crying into his hands hysterically.

"Sir? My name is Doctor Stone," Zevon introduced himself, his hands ready to catch the initially flailing patient. "I need you to tell me if you are in physical pain."

"Please don't let them near me," the young Japanese man begged never lifting his face from his hands.

"Don't let who near you?" Zevon asked.

"The light – it hurt," the man sobbed.

"The lights are all off. I can turn the monitor off as well."

"And the ice – it was so cold."

"Sir, you're making no sense. Do you understand me?"

At that moment, the man looked up at him, his dark eyes open wide in shock.

"I understand you," he reached out and grabbed Zevon's arm and pulled him closer. "Please! You have to protect me from the Sailor Senshi. They tried to kill me."

Zevon inhaled sharply.

 _He was crouched on the ground, his hamstrings tight ready to spring forward – he had to get away before they caught up to him. Before he shot off, a woman in red heels landed before him. His gaze traveled up her form taking in the rest of her blood red battle uniform that intimately hugged her form. He apparently hadn't had as much of a lead as he thought._

"You're in my way," he told her coldly. "I don't want to hurt you."

" _The feeling is not mutual," she declared, calling the Martian flame to her hands. She shot them towards him all at once._

 _He dove to the side and rolled back to his feet. He turned to run again._

But the other three senshi stood in his way while Mars blocked him from the rear. He knew he couldn't take all of them on at once.

They came closer – surrounding him on all sides. He felt like a trapped doe. They were going to kill him.

Zevon shook himself from the vision, his patient still clutched his arm, begging to be protected from the senshi.

"It's okay," the blond doctor tried to sooth. "You're in a hospital. You're safe. There are no senshi here." _  
_

Zevon couldn't help but wonder if he was trying to pacify the patient or himself.

 _Why did the senshi want to kill him?_

…

Having read the same paragraph six times and not absorbed a word of it, Ami shoved the offending textbook aside. Trying to get caught up in this moment was clearly a lost cause. It was only Friday afternoon – she had the whole weekend. She supposed she could take one night off, knowing that if she forced the issue it would be harder to accomplish anything for the rest of the weekend as well.

She grabbed the first romance novel on the top of her stack of new purchases, and moved to the common room and curled up on the oversized easy chair for a desperately needed change of scenery.

Three chapters in she realized that perhaps it was too soon for romance novels. Though the genre was her favorite, she hadn't picked one up since Ryo had gone. And suddenly she found herself feeling alone.

Minako walked past and Ami jumped, not realizing the blond had been home. Her roommate eyed the cover of her book and smiled knowingly.

Ami rolled her eyes, irritated that Minako was always pleased when she was slightly irresponsible. But then, maybe the blond was right. Ami had self-discipline down to a science – it was self-love that she often struggled with.

"Minako-chan?" Ami blurted out to the retreating form against her better judgement.

"Yes Ami-chan?" the other girl said brightly, turning back around.

"Do you… maybe, want to go out tonight?"

Cornflower blue eyes lit up with excitement! "Ami-chan! I would love to take you out! Would you let me do your make up?"

"If you want to…?"

The other girl squealed excitedly, grabbed her by the wrist to drag her into her room and plopped her in front of a fully restored antique vanity.

"Actually, I need you to turn this way," Minako directed, urging Ami to sit sideways toward her, rather than towards the mirror.

Ami turned cooperatively, feeling slightly dubious. Why had she agreed to this again?

Minako took out a yellow paste and applied it under her eyes. Then she followed up with some powder. And then Ami lost track of it all – she had no idea what the blond was doing. There were queue tips at her eyes and paint brushes on her lips. And the longer the make-over continued, the more nervous the blunette felt. Her anxiety jumped another notch when she realized that Minako had moved onto her hair. Running through some kind of product before tousling her fingers through her short locks. Ami closed her eyes and chose to trust her friend, enjoying the sensation of fingers massaging her scalp.

Then just as suddenly they vanished.

"Alright. You can look now."

She again felt nervous, certain that Minako had gone completely overboard, but she felt transfixed by her reflection.

"I look like me," she said, surprised. Which was true, only now she looked more refined. Like Minako found every imperfect pore and erased it and found every feature and enhanced it, but subtly – like you wouldn't notice if you weren't looking for it. Somehow her crystal-blue eyes seemed deeper and her high cheek bones refined with just a touch of natural blush as if from the cold. Even her hair didn't seem done up – but looked like it had just fallen elegantly framing her face.

She caught the blond rolling her eyes through the mirror. "Of course you do. Who else would you look like?"

"That's not what I meant. I mean, I was worried you'd put me together for some glamour shoot. But I look like me, only _more_ somehow. You know me really well. Thank you," she added softly.

Then the blond grinned. "I'm glad you like it! Now, we have to find you the perfect outfit!"

"I have my own clothes!" the scholar objected.

"Yes, I definitely most sincerely approve of your wardrobe, but I want to get a bit away from professional Ami and nice girl Ami. We're going out, right?!"

Ami groaned.

"Oh come on! You love your make-up and hair. Trust me!" the other girl insisted, once again grasping her by the wrist to drag her to the other side of her room.

"Fair enough," the blunette conceded.

She tried on three outfits, but at the third she felt no need to continue. She wore a deep black dress with three-quarter sleeves. It hugged her form, accentuating her fit slimness, but she didn't feel exposed at all as the top came right up to her collar bone. The skirt flared at her knees and swirled around with her movement making her feel playful and fun. And best of all, the assemble was made of some kind of stretchy material so she didn't feel constricted at all.

"That looks far better on you than me," Minako commented. "You should keep it."

Ami, still staring at herself in the full length mirror of the sliding closet doors, nodded absently.

"Give me twenty minutes – and we can get out of here!""

Two hours later found the two women sitting side by side at an upscale bar halfway beside half a dozen shot glasses, four of them empty, and a bowl of pretzels.

"That guy was totally into you!" Minako gushed. "Why did you chase him away?"

"Are you Cinderella? Because I see that dress coming off at midnight." Ami repeated with an eye-roll. "Yeah, no thanks."

Minako burst into a peal of laughter to the point where she lost her balance on the stool and Ami had to right her by propping her up on the bar.

"Only doctors for Ami-chan!" a drunk Minako toasted before she downed her third shot.

Ami didn't bother to drink. Her head was already buzzing slightly, and she knew that more was simply a bad idea.

"They don't have to be doctors!" she countered. "Or even intelligent. I just want them to respect me." Her one night stand guy had.

"What?! Not intelligent?" Minako objected, drunkenly wagging a finger at Ami. "Let's be real Ami-chan. You would be so bored if the guy was not intelligent!" Her hand froze in front of her face and she stared at it intently as if she had never seen it before. Her other elbow slipped and her head drooped onto the table.

Ami sighed even as she readjusted the blond on her stool, trying to figure out how this night, which was supposed to be about her, turned into the med student taking care of a drunk Minako.

"Do you ever think Usagi and Mamoru give us too high expectations?" her roommate asked suddenly. "That we never truly connect with anyone because we want the real thing – we want the soul mate?"

Ryo's face – his dark smiling eyes and frazzled hair immediately came to mind. She had sometimes felt connected and close to him. It had never been all encompassing though. Did she want all encompassing though? It looked _exhausting_!

"Mamoru-kun and Usagi-chan are both planning to propose to each other," Minako gushed excitedly. "On the same day!" she added with a delightful squeal. "Isn't that just too impossibly and sickeningly adorable?"

Ami smiled at the thought. Of course they were – the princess and her prince were just completely in sync.

"This is your secret, isn't it?" the blunette chided. "I told you, you were terrible at keeping secrets."

"This secret is too cute to keep!" Minako objected. "The only reason I know is that they both requested my aid in their execution. Of course, with both of them – I have to blend the two ideas. The only reason I told you is because I need your help with some technical aspects of my plan."

Ami was about to ask more when their communicators went off with the familiar chime. Ami's hand immediately activated the hidden ear piece that she never removed.

"Venus is drunk," Ami reported bluntly. "Can you handle this without us?"

"Am not!" Minako objected defensively.

"Earth, Moon, and Mars are all free – we should be fine. We'll let you know if that changes." Luna reported.

"Why does Luna insist on calling Mamoru, Earth?" her blond roommate asked no one. "It just sounds wrong. Why not stick with Kamen since that's what he has always gone by?"

"Do you always ramble when you are drunk?"

"I'm not drunk!"

"Uh huh."

"I'm not!" Minako insisted. And Ami had to hand it to her soul sister – her cornflower blue eyes were completely clear, she had been talking sensibly for the last few minutes.

"Have you been _pretending_ to be drunk?!" Ami accused. "Why would you do _that_?!"

The other woman shrugged. "It was clear that you weren't going to find a match here tonight. And I know you feel better when you feel needed. And when someone is sick or incapacitated – that's when you know exactly what to do. No anxiety attacks in those moments."

Ami blushed at the observation. "Thank you," she whispered.

"I wasn't going to admit to anything," Venus confessed. "But if that youma goes south – I want you to know that I'm ready and that you have no other obligations."

Ami nodded in acknowledgement.

"Did you really think you could out drink me?" Minako asked with teasing eyes.

The blunette couldn't hold back her laugh, but she quickly sobered. "Minako-chan, thank you for tonight. I think it was exactly what I needed."

"Anytime, Ami-chan! Anytime!"

A/N: This chapter concludes the set up. From here on out we get lots of Ami/Zoi scenes! I mean it's a story about them. And now that the school year has started, I seem to somehow have more time to write…? It makes no sense, but that's how it has seemed to work out for the last two years. Anyway, hope you enjoyed the update. Hopefully, it won't be the last for awhile, but I do have to write 23 letters of recommendation over the next eight weeks or so…

Question! Based on my sex scenes that don't really describe anything specific I very much felt this story could get away with being a T, but rereading some of Zoi's violent flashes in chapter 6 I was feeling a bit less certain. Maybe I should bump it up to M? Or am I being overly panicky? Let me know what you think!

Going it Alone really is much further along, but it's fine if you don't believe me… I'm not sure I would at this point either. Haha!

Reviews are love!


	8. Formal Introductions

A/N: Once again, I didn't wait long enough after finishing this to effectively proofread this, so please forgive typos and other minor errors. **  
**

 **Chapter 8: Formal Introductions**

"Minako-chan! You're making me late!" Ami complained, banging on the other girl's bedroom door across the hallway from her own.

The closed barrier flew open immediately, but the blond had already retreated backwards into her cavernous walk in closet.

"It's Mamoru!" the blond called back. "It's not like you need to be worried about making a good first impression."

"It _is_ Mamoru! And that means he's going to arrive fifteen minutes early!" the blunette countered as she moved into the doorway of the closet. Minako had racks and racks of shoes on one wall that were carefully slotted into their spaces. That's where her organization system ended. The rest of Mina's wardrobe was sprawled out in various piles. Ami knew from experience that her roommate knew exactly what was clean and what was not.

"That's _his_ problem!"

"Minako – he's the Chief Resident, which means he's my supervisor. I don't want to make him wait!"

"Well then, what possessed you to ask _me_ for a ride?"

"Makoto doesn't have a car and the subway stop near the hospital is temporarily closed for some _strange_ reason."

A youma had struck the subway line two days prior and the stop at the hospital now resembled a set from a man versus nature horror film. The station would probably be out of commission for weeks as they had to repair actual infrastructure in the form of super massive support beams and escalators.

"Right. That was not my fault by the way."

"Sailor Mercury might have something different to say about that," Ami mumbled under her breath.

"What was that?" Minako called back.

"Mina!" she snapped, "I don't want to talk about anything senshi related. I want to go meet my rotation supervisor!"

"It's Mamoru!" her roommate shouted again as she threw a blouse over her head. "If he's a jerk about you being late, you can just ask Usagi to withhold sex or something!"

"Minako-chan!" Ami chastised, completely horrified and afraid to ask if Minako had ever done that.

"What?" the blond asked defensively, slipping into some simple black flats. "He deserved it."

"Mina!"

"I'm ready. You want to leave now or keep talking about this?" the model asked as she scooped up her purse and keys.

"Let's go!" Ami practically growled.

…

Zevon glanced through the menu on a mission to find Japanese fare he had never yet tried. He considered it part of his diversity education to explore everything the crescent shaped country had to offer. But after living two years in Tokyo it was getting harder to find dishes he hadn't tried. He might have to settle for one of his favorites instead. He looked at his watch before turning to his table partner – the official chief resident.

"She's late," Zevon commented. This fact did not personally bother him as he always cut his own meeting time arrivals too close, but he knew Mamoru valued promptness. He saw it as a sign of setting priorities and showing respect.

"You didn't have to come with me," Mamoru countered, completely unperturbed.

The blond resident didn't agree. Violent fantasies and nightmares continued to plague his nocturnal hours. He felt on edge and nervous almost all the time now, except when he was hanging out with Mamoru. Perhaps his raven-haired companion was just a good friend capable of getting him out of his own head, but it didn't matter. Mamoru's presence calmed and soothed the chaos of his mind in a way he could not explain.

And that was excluding the fact that Mamoru was just being _weird_ about this particular intern, which had Zevon's curiosity peaked. The blond resident wasn't scheduled until three, and he was starving. So, there were a multitude of reasons for him to have come along to what was supposed to be a regular meet and greet of a new intern.

"Why are you meeting this kid here for breakfast? And not at the hospital?"

"She's an old friend."

"What'd you say her name was?"

"I didn't," he replied mysteriously.

"Are you doing that on purpose?" the blond resident asked, irritated.

"Doing what?" Mamoru asked blandly, taking another sip of his coffee.

" _That!_ You're purposefully avoiding dropping any information. Seriously, who is this new intern?"

Cobalt blue eyes considered him stoically before he finally opened his mouth. "Her name is Mizuno Ami."

"Mizuno?" Zevon repeated dumbly. "As in Mizuno Saeko, our attending physician?"

"Her daughter actually. That's another reason we're not meeting at the hospital."

"Her _daughter_?" he spluttered. "Doctor Mizuno has a daughter?"

"And she's _brilliant_. So, you had better be on your best behavior."

"Yes dad," he glibly replied. He made himself comfortable in the chair, now excited to meet Doctor Mizuno's daughter.

Ami darted through the pedestrian traffic as fast as she could without actually running, and turned into the outdoor café she and Mamoru both frequented with her chest tight in a ball of anxiety.

When she spotted Mamoru and he waved her over with a friendly smile, her whole body loosened in relief. She could breathe easily and take in the surroundings of planted flower pots that lined the barrier between the courtyard and the sidewalk, the single rose on each table, and the murmur of a dozen conversations.

She hurried over to his table that he shared with a thin blond with Minako on her heels. The other woman had insisted she tag along, promising that if she was there, Mamoru would know exactly why his new underling had been late without any words needing to be spoken. Ami was more worried that Minako was there to threaten Mamoru should he give her any flack about anything at all.

"Good morning Mamoru-kun," she met his genuine smile as she arrived at the table with one of her own, feeling silly that she had been nervous at all about meeting him. Minako was right – this was _Mamoru_. "My apologies for my tardiness."

Then the new chief resident's companion turned around. Her blue eyes met startlingly familiar emerald green ones and she froze, breathing in sharply as her anxiety skyrocketed once again. Blond eyebrows rose in surprise, accentuating the delicate well defined angles of his chin and cheekbones, and his lips spread into a genuinely delighted smile.

"Ami-chan! I'm so glad you could make it!" Mamoru greeted. "I would like to introduce you to Doctor Zevon Stone – he's a fellow resident, and has become a reliable friend."

Right. She had known that. That's the only thing she had known about him – that he was a resident who worked with Mamoru. Why had it never occurred to her that she was going to have to work with him too?

"And Zevo-kun, this is Mizuno Ami and Aino Minako."

"Pleasure to meet you Ami," he said, taking her hand elegantly and placing a warm kiss on the back of her hand. His eyes never dropped from hers. She immediately noted the lack of honorific. As a foreigner, the slip could be forgiven, but Ami was certain that he knew better and had left it off on purpose.

"Minako-chan, to what do we owe the pleasure?" Mamoru asked of her blond shadow, as he gestured for both of them to take a seat.

"With the subway out after the senshi battle, I'm serving today as Ami's chauffeur," Minako explained as she and Ami sat opposite each other at the table.

"Who needs youmas when you've got the senshi around destroying half our infrastructure?" Zevon commented off-handedly.

"Because paranormal monsters attacking and killing civilians is _so_ much better," Ami bit back sarcastically.

She felt the heat rise to her cheeks as Minako and Mamoru both stared at her in surprise. Mamoru especially looked genuinely puzzled by her outburst.

"I didn't realize you were so passionate on the subject, Ami-chan," Minako teased with a knowing smile dancing in her cornflower blue eyes. The medical student suppressed an internal groan as Minako flicked her gaze towards Mamoru's unexpected companion, no doubt rapidly connecting dots. She was definitely going to hear about this later.

"May I take your order?" a short, dark-haired women with a frilly blue apron around her front, asked from the end of their table with an inviting smile.

Ami turned to her immediately, grateful for the interruption. "I would like a hot mint tea with some honey. And I would appreciate the full breakfast with salmon and I'll have tsukemono and kobachi for my sides."

The waitress nodded her acknowledgment, before turning to the others. Ami didn't pay attention to what the others were ordering, instead trying to maintain her own composure.

"So, where were we?" Minako asked the second the waitress dashed off, with seemingly sparkling innocent eyes. But if there was one thing Minako was not, it was innocent. Not ever!

"I believe we are here to discuss my new position at the hospital," Ami jumped in quickly before her blond roommate could further derail the conversation.

"Of course!" Mamoru began with a smile of his own. "So, your role as a medical student is fairly straight forward. You are here to learn, and will be assigned to various in-patient doctors and residents as they go through rounds and assigned to out-patient doctors during their examinations."

"Do I have any input on who I am assigned to?" she asked.

"In terms of subject and specialty, absolutely. In terms of specific people, usually not, but we do try to assign you to a variety of areas over the course of the twelve weeks, unless there's a case you specifically express interest in and want to follow."

"During rounds and examinations, you are to observe and listen. Other than introducing yourself or chatting socially with patients, you are not to speak."

"And if I should have a question?" Ami interjected formally.

"You should write it down and wait until we are no longer in front of the patient."

"Why is that? I thought the hospital valued transparency with its patients and families," Minako asked, mockingly. Ami flushed in embarrassment, wishing for the second time that she hadn't let Minako join her this morning.

Mamoru pursed his lips before glancing to his blond counterpart, and Doctor Stone took up the explanation.

"It's like this Aino-san," he began dramatically. So, he _did_ know how to use Japanese honorifics appropriately she couldn't help but take note. He _could_ be respectful and professional – just not to her. "Sometimes, a doctor won't share a suspicion with a patient until they have diagnoses confirmed with symptoms or until they've looked something up. And if you ask an awkward question as an intern, you may highlight something that doctors are choosing to leave out specifically until they are more confident. Interns are often also completely incorrect about their diagnosis on a patient, but if they present their case well, they can get a patient obsessed with following a dead end."

Mamoru took over again. "The intern is also not licensed to practice – it is the doctor who is liable for the patient's care. In general, this practice helps patients maintain confidence in us as you or another intern are not highlighting a gap in knowledge or information presented, and when we double check ourselves we are often more accurate when we come back to the patient with information."

"Not to mention," Zevon piped in again. "When they speak amongst themselves doctors can be somewhat blunt, even callous, in how they discuss patients. We would prefer not to subject patients and families to this level of insensitivity."

Ami nodded in agreement, the explanation making complete sense to her.

"Goodness knows, we can't let those overly sensitive touchy feely patients see your true colors," her blond roommate bit in sarcastically.

Ami started fiddling with her chopsticks to hide her anxiety at Minako's continued challenging remarks. Relief flooded through her form when both other doctors just chuckled in response.

"It's better to think of a doctor as a mechanic. The human body is a machine and I have to figure out what's wrong with it to repair the dysfunction or damage. If I let my emotions get in the way – if I see the little girl barely breathing or the injured father of three it would be only too easy to get swept away from what needs to be done. Unfortunately, not every patient survives, but I have to be ready to treat the next one anyway. Some desensitization is necessary to do my job well."

It was just like the battlefield really. As a senshi, she had to take in the situation – and sometimes make impossible choices on who to save, or what to prioritize – killing the monster before he could rampage through the city, or moving civillians out of the way even if it meant exposing more to it later.

"That won't a problem," Ami agreed. "Do I have any other responsibilities?"

"Just to show up on time. You are not given a lot of tasks because we want your focus to be on learning, but it is expected that your attention will be on the patient or case on hand. You will not spend time studying or completing homework from med school."

"Of course not!"

"You're joining at an exciting time," the blond resident imparted. "The hospital is on heightened alert with a suspected epidemic on our hands."

Mamoru cast a disapproving glance his way. "That's not public knowledge, and should not be shared."

Zevon smirked playfully. "And that commitment to policy is why _you_ are the chief resident."

"How long have you been chief resident Mamoru-kun?" Ami gushed delightedly. "I was surprised to see your name on my letter."

"Only about a month. Honestly, I'm not entirely confident I'm best qualified for the position," he admitted as he took a sip of his coffee.

Ami didn't miss Zevon's eye-roll at that self-assessment. And she found herself softening a bit with regards to the blond resident, nevermind her nerves on having to work with him now.

"I think it's great that you can recognize your own shortcomings!" Minako complimented brightly. Ami scowled at her. Mamoru just met her smile with one of his own.

"Why thank you for the compliment Minako-chan," he said.

"You are most welcome!" she replied, without missing a beat.

In that moment their food arrived. Ami used the distraction to lean over to Mamoru.

"I'm sure that you're selling yourself short," she said quietly to him. "They wouldn't have offered you the position otherwise."

"Mizuno-sensei would never prioritize boosting your ego or promoting her favorites over patient care," Zevon piped in through a mouthful of fish.

"You work closely with Ami-chan's mother?" Minako interjected, the glee only too clear in her eyes.

Ami stared in shock as warmth flooded his cheeks. "She's my attending as well," he admitted.

"My mother is your attending?" she asked mechanically without thinking. Could things get any worse?

He nodded and he looked straight at her – his emerald piercing gaze freezing her to her seat. "I could not ask for a better mentor," he said softly, before turning back to his meal. She watched him for a few minutes how careful and precise he was with his chopsticks, as if he was a Japanese native. He ate with enthusiastic gusto, and somehow managed to never drop even a morsel of food.

Her observations were interrupted by an incessant electronic beeping. Mamoru whipped out his phone and glanced at the screen.

"I'm being paged," he informed them all. "We have to leave," he directed this last bit to his blond counterpart. The younger resident sighed, placed his chopsticks at his side and began to put on his jacket once again.

"I know my first official day is tomorrow, but would you be willing to show me around if I stopped by sometime this afternoon?" Ami asked, as they prepared themselves for departure.

"I'd be happy to free up your schedule a bit Mamoru-kun by taking on that task," Zevon answered before Mamoru had a chance to respond.

Ami scowled at the blond resident.

"Actually… that would make this evening smoother. Unless… you have an objection Ami-chan?" Mamoru asked, noticing her displeasure with a quirked eyebrow.

"No," she reassured quickly, smothering her irritation with a gracious smile. "That will be fine."

"Shall we say two o'clock?" the blond suggested warmly.

"I will be there," she agreed, feeling slightly cornered.

"Great!"

Zevon winked at her as they departed. Ami felt herself blush in spite of herself.

"Mamoru-kun," she called after him. And he turned back. "At some point when you have time this week, I could really use some advice."

He raised another eyebrow. "Regarding?"

"Balancing med school and extra-curriculars," was her quick response.

And he smiled in understanding. "Of course, Ami-chan. I will make sure of it!"

She watched the duo leave, and continued to pick at her food. She suddenly didn't feel hungry at all, as her nerves twisted with anxiety for the afternoon appointment.

"That's him, isn't it?" Minako cooed the second they were out of ear shot.

"Mamoru-kun?" Ami questioned, playing dumb. "Of course it was!"

Minako slapped her impatiently in the arm, "No! Doctor Zevon Stone," she sing-songed. "He's your one night stand guy! And he's clearly still _way_ into you. And he's going to show you around the hospital this afternoon!" The blond squealed happily not bothering to wait for confirmation.

Ami was feeling more nauseous by the second.

"Oh, how I'd love to be a cockroach under _that_ bed!" Mina concluded with a bright smile.

"Minako-chan, do you even know what you're saying _any_ of the time?"

…

Zevon stared blankly at the paperwork in front of him. He had intended the charting exercise to distract him from his nerves, but he could not focus on the words. He glanced at the clock on the far wall again – 1:43 pm, only two minutes had passed since he last checked. His stomach quivered excitedly and his pen felt slick against his sweaty palm.

"Snap out of it Zevon," his whispered to himself in English. "Why are you so nervous? She's just a girl!"

An amazingly sharp witted intelligent woman he had been obsessing and fantasizing over for weeks. A girl that also happened to be Doctor Mizuno's daughter.

He ran a hand through his flowing blond locks taking a few deep breaths.

"Doctor Stone," a soft voice greeted stiffly.

His head whipped up from the file to her angular heart shaped face framed in ocean blue and he felt his face split into a giddy grin at her extended hand. "No need to be so formal Ami!" he greeted, taking the excuse she offered to take her hand regardless.

"I would prefer to keep things professional," she said smoothly.

His grin widened for reasons he did not completely understand. "Of course, Mizuno-san. What _ever_ makes you comfortable."

Her misty blue eyes focused into razor points of irritation like frozen icicles. "May we proceed with the tour?" she asked sharply.

"Of course," he said, as he gestured dramatically towards the open door behind her, his green eyes dancing in amusement at her displeasure. "Follow me."

And she did. He tried not to think about how close she walked beside him as he lead her into the main corridor.

"Let's say you're pregnant," he began in explanation as they headed toward the ER.

She arched a lovely blue eyebrow at him, as if asking him if he _really_ wanted to go there.

"You were giving birth at some family birthing center, but something went wrong, and you were rushed to the hospital. You would arrive here into our Emergency Department," he said just as they arrived. He pointed out the ambulance entrance to the row of patient wards and private rooms, and they walked past the nurse's station.

"The emergency staff would receive and take responsibility for your care from the paramedics. Depending on their ability to address the immediate problem, they'd either escalate up to the Operating Room to prep for an emergency C-section upstairs, or downward to Labor and Delivery which is in the opposite wing," he explained as they moved across the long corridor through a set of double doors leading into the second department.

"As a staff member you will have a badge like this one," he held up the badge before pressing it against the magnetic panel, "that will allow you to cut from one department to another through normally sealed doors quickly and efficiently."

She nodded. "When do I get my badge?"

"On your first day – during Orientation. Anyway, your beautiful baby boy is born eight weeks premature."

"What makes you assume it's a boy?" she asked with another raised eyebrow, the corner of her lips quirking up, though he wasn't sure if it was in amusement or irritation.

He grinned. "A girl too then. They're twins, which is probably why they're premature!"

"Delivery of twins would never have been scheduled at a Family Birthing Center. Too much risk of complications."

"They would be if the mid wife and family didn't realize you were having twins!"

"That wouldn't happen with today's imaging technology," she insisted with an impatient eye roll.

"It is admittedly rare," he conceded. "But it occurred once just three months ago. The mother had a holistic mid wife and they never had a sonogram – only listened to the heartbeat and never realized there was more than one."

"You're making this up," she insisted her eyes boring into him as if she could discern the truth from his face alone.

He laughed. "I wish I was!" He lead them to the NICU – carefully washing his hands and gesturing for her to do the same the moment they stepped through the door.

"This is the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit," he gestured to the rows of half a dozen impossibly small infants held in transparent cases hooked up to monitors. "Your babies would be brought here and cared for until they were able to breathe on their own and were consistently feeding well."

Zevon glanced at his charge expecting her to melt or cry at the sight of the vulnerable infants, but she remained professional and stoic. This Mizuno was clearly made of tougher stuff than many first-year interns.

"Good afternoon Doctor Stone," a dark haired petite nurse greeted as they turned the corner. She wore gloves and a face mask as she fed a tiny baby that fit in the palm of her gloved hand.

"Hi Miyuki-san. Meet Mizuno-san, one of our newest interns!"

The nurse smiled and nodded in greeting. "Pleasure Mizuno-san!"

"The honor and pleasure is mine Miyuki-san," Ami greeted with a respectful nod and a smile.

"Once these little guys are stable they are usually transferred to the PICU, which requires less hovering than these premies," he said smiling into a case as a baby let out cry that sounded more birdlike than human.

He then led her out of the wing and they took an elevator up to the Cardiology Department.

"Continuing with your story of premature twins…" he began.

"Oh, let me guess," she interrupted sarcastically. "One of the baby's heart stops…"

"We'd send it here to cardiology – though with an infant that might be too specialized. We might have to helicopter that baby over to the Tokyo University Children's Hospital."

"Or it manifests seizures," she listed off.

"That we can do – an EEG tech usually would come to the patient wherever there are being stationed. But if they wanted an MRI, they'd go down to Radiology. Then the results would be sent over to Neurology," he gestured to a map of the whole buiding on the wall.

"This is a terrible fantasy you've concocted for my future," she commented with an amused smile.

"A very stressful day indeed," he agreed. "So you could then send your partner down to the ground floor to the gift shop or coffee shop to get some kind of treat."

"Which is right next to the pharmacy?" she asked looking at the map.

"That's shamelessly strategic," he explained. "You put in your prescription, and while waiting you have nothing better to do than to go shopping for flowers or cards or whatever.

"Oh, of course," she agreed, amusement dripping from her tone. "Because the gift shop is where the hospital makes all its revenue."

He laughed. "Fair point."

"Any other specialties this hospital treats?" she asked turning her blue eyes back to him, they were suddenly soft and attentive.

"That's about it. We typically outsource for Pulmonology, Orthopedics, OT, PT, Speech and Language outside of an emergency situation."

"Well, thank you for your highly entertaining tour, Doctor Stone," she said, turning back to the map – her brow furrowed in concentration.

"My pleasure Mizuno-san," he smiled, watching her trace the path they had followed on the visual floorplan.

"You want to grab some dinner tomorrow?" he asked recklessly into the sudden silence.

"I do not believe that would be appropriate," her relaxed demeanor and small smile had vanished, smothered by a carefully crafted clipped tone.

"Why not? You're on a twelve-week rotation to observe. You're not an actual employee and I'm not even your supervisor."

She eyed him stoically.

"Come on!" he entreated. "You know that we'd be great together."

"I don't know if I share your confidence in that conclusion."

"I know you enjoyed yourself," he argued.

She looked up him then and he fidgeted on the spot feeling like he had mis-stepped, but not sure how.

"Having fantastic sex is not the basis for a relationship," she told him coldly.

"Maybe I was intrigued before that part and just wanted a chance to get to know you better," he said seriously.

"You kissed me the second I walked in the door. You showed right then that you were more interested in sex than an actual relationship."

"As opposed to you slipping out the door afterwards without a word? What should I conclude about you from that choice? That perhaps you were more interested in sex than an actual relationship?"

Cerulean orbs widened in genuine surprise. And it was hard not to let the smirk bloom onto his own face in victory. But he knew that to maintain any credibility, he had to remain stoic.

"I'm sorry," she said contritely. "You're right. It is not fair of me to judge you."

He felt the growing heat in his face as he faced her awkwardly searching for words, never expecting her concession. "Thank you," he finally managed. "And I apologize too. I wasn't trying to accuse you of anything or pressure you into anything. I just… I think about that night all the time," he admitted breaking away from her piercing gaze. "And seeing you again, well, I thought… we could at the very least grab a cup of coffee – you can decide if anything else happens."

She was silent for so long, he didn't know what to think. He couldn't read any of her feelings through her carefully controlled mask, and he found himself fidgeting ever so slightly from foot to foot.

"I will have to think about it," she agreed.

He let out a sigh of relief. He would take it.

"So… fantastic sex huh?" he grinned cheekily.

"Ugh!" she growled and stomped immediately away.

He fell into laughter. Perhaps he should have secured the date first. But he couldn't help but feel the encounter had gone well despite it ending with her fleeing his presence. He had surprised her - and he hoped that meant she would keep thinking about him.

He wandered back to the resident office and lounge and tried to focus back on his charts in the twenty minutes before his rotation started. But his mind was lost in sparkling blue pools of light that served as Ami's eyes.

"What did you do to piss her off?" the familiar baritone demanded from the doorway.

Zevon looked up at his closest friend and now supervisor. "Who are we talking about?"

"Ami-chan!"

"Is she upset?" he asked, trying to disguise the urgency with which he wanted an answer.

"She is completely different around you and when speaking of you! Positively acidic!" Mamoru insisted.

"Really?" The American resident asked eagerly, delighted that he had some effect on her, even if it wasn't the one he was going for.

"You _like_ her!" Mamoru accused suddenly.

Zevon shrugged. "So, what if I do?" he asked, turning entreating green eyes to his friend. He hadn't realized it before, but he needed Mamoru's blessing to pursue this. If he withheld it, then Zevon would feel beyond torn, not to mention hurt.

"Zevo-kun! She's Mizuno's _daughter_! And one of my closest friends. She can't just be another one night stand."

"I never _wanted_ her to be Mamoru-kun! _She's_ the one that up and left the next morning. I've been obsessing over her ever since!"

Confused cobalt blue eyes blinked dumbly at him.

"Wait. _What_?"

Zevon released a dejected sigh and leaned back into his chair. "We met at your birthday party. I accidentally spilled a drink on her. We chatted awkwardly for a moment and then she found out I was a resident and she just came… alive with excitement, wanting to know more."

Mamoru smiled. "Now, _that_ sounds like Ami-chan," he muttered.

"She suggested we find someplace quieter. Now, I think that she wanted to continue talking, but I didn't realize it then. I agreed. I took her back to my place. And well… we didn't talk much after that. She slipped out the next morning. I've been dreaming about her for weeks! But it wasn't just the sex Mamoru-kun – I don't know how to explain it. I regretted so much not having any way of contacting her – barely knowing who she was. And then her showing up at breakfast… it seemed like a second chance."

His raven-haired friend was clearly at a loss for words.

Zevon sighed again. "I didn't know she was Mizuno's daughter! Perhaps, you're right though. It's not like she's interested in me anyway."

Mamoru's continued silence irritated the blond resident immensely. Surely the other man had an opinion on the subject. "Won't you say something?"

"Are you really interested? Like in a _serious_ relationship?" Mamoru asked.

"I… I think I am," Zevon admitted in a whisper, just as surprised to realize he meant the words as Mamoru probably was to hear them.

"If you really mean that," Mamoru said slowly, "don't sell yourself short. You have a lot to offer someone like Ami."

Zevon suddenly smiled up at his friend. He had already realized Mamoru was more than a bit protective of the blunette. This was the closest to a blessing as he was likely to receive.

"Thanks Mamoru-kun. That means a lot."

"Yeah, well… Don't make me regret it."

"You didn't _win_?" Minako cried indignantly to Makoto as the brunette placed the family style stir fry on the rectangular dining room table before the three of them.

Makoto was grinning, obviously delighted that all three of them were home for dinner – it was the first time they had managed to pull it off in two weeks. Ami enjoyed their "family" dinners too, but she knew that Makoto being an orphan, had more reason to not take the occasions for granted.

"But I had some of that cheesecake," Minako was saying. "Mako-chan, it was one of _the_ best I had _ever_ had! And seeing as I live with you and all your culinary delights, that's saying something!"

Makoto laughed. "How would you know Minako-chan? You didn't try any of the other entries in the competition?"

"Ami-chan! Did you try any of Makoto's red velvet cheesecake a few weeks back?" the blond demanded, looking for an ally in her fallacious argument.

"It was very good," Ami agreed. "Mako-chan said that she received the highest marks for texture and flavor, but that she was dinged on presentation."

" _Presentation_?" Minako repeated indignantly. "Who cares about presentation?"

"Says the model," Makoto interjected.

"It's a cake!" the blond snapped back! "Taste should be the most important factor!"

"I appreciate your righteous indignation on my behalf Mina. Getting second place in the competition is respectable and will no doubt earn me clients regardless. Now, you can show your appreciation for my cooking by eating your dinner," Makoto directed.

"Yes mom," Minako said mockingly as she dove into the seared vegetables and chicken.

Ami giggled at the banter and took a few bites herself. The soy based brown sauce was mild and accented the root vegetables while not over powering their own sweet earthy flavor. She sighed in contentment. She arguably had the best living arrangement. Minako took care of most expenses, and Makoto saw to it that all three of them actually ate real sustaining food. And it was often a delight to the senses when made by a soon to be world class chef!

"How was your day Ami-chan?" Makoto asked. "Weren't you getting a tour of the hospital this afternoon?"

Ami blushed and Minako grinned knowingly.

"Yes! How is Doctor Stone Ami-chan?"

"Who?" Makoto asked intrigued.

"Ami-chan's one night stand guy!"

" _Ami_ had a one night stand?!" Makoto repeated in disbelief, turning to the book worm for confirmation.

Ami felt her cheeks burst into flames.

"Yup!" Minako confirmed gleefully. "They met at Mamoru's party. Turns out he's in the same residency as Mamoru."

Makoto did not share Minako's glee. Deep green eyes turned to her in concern.

"And you have to work with him now?"

Ami nodded. "It'll be fine," she insisted. "We discussed it today... Sort of. I think we have an understanding." She wasn't really sure that they had come to any understanding at all, but she felt confident that she could deal with him.

"So, when's your first date?" Minako asked evilly.

Ami groaned, and let her face fall into her hand.

"Don't mind Mina," Makoto said. "You know she just wants you to be happy right?"

Ami faced both her roommates and nodded carefully. "I do know that."

"What do you think of him?" Makoto asked gently.

"I don't know. I was really thrown when he made a move so fast that first night. And I was definitely still on the rebound you know? Not ready for a real anything. It all felt so reckless and so completely not me."

The other girls both nodded.

"But…?" Makoto prompted when she paused.

"But it was also really exciting. I felt so desired and I felt so free. And he was always so respectful. Even when I pulled away at first, he instantly apologized for making assumptions and let me make the decision of whether to continue."

"And today, he admitted that he thought about that night all the time. That he had been interested in me even before… you know…"

"Can't say the word sex Ami-chan?" Minako teased.

Ami flushed again, but ignored the jibe. "He just… he seemed so genuine. And I felt… really flattered. And yes, it's nice. I haven't felt like that since Ryo-kun. Maybe not even with Ryo-kun. He worshipped me in a way that almost didn't seem real. Like he loved this perfect version of me that didn't really exist. Zevon-san's interest felt more real. But when he asked me out again so soon, it felt too fast, not to mention completely improper. And now it seems all the more complicated because my mother is his mentor."

"You don't have to say no if you don't want to Ami," Minako broke in. "No one will think any less of you for being interested. Being your mother's student is a point in his favor – not a taboo that cannot be broken."

"But I don't want to feel pressured to say yes either. If I say yes, I want it to be because I admire him for who he is – not just because he's attractive and charming and a doctor. I thought he respected me. I don't want that to not be true and when it feels like he just wants to jump into the physical immediately that it might not be."

"You don't have to decide anything tonight Ami-chan," Makoto assured her with a squeeze of her hand. "If you like this guy, give him a chance. And if not, don't put up with any nonsense," she barked as her gentle eyes turned stern.

Ami laughed. "Thank you Mako-chan. I will try to follow that advice."

…

A/N:

I spent another week in the hospital – this time taking care of my dad who almost died last week. He thankfully is doing much better now, but is staying in a rehabilitation center for the foreseeable future. I'm very grateful that I get to keep him on this earth for awhile longer.

This experience made the part of this chapter I was struggling with (the hospital tour) manifest so easily! Gotta always look for the silver linings in all hardships. Even if it's a rather small one in this case.

I also hope you enjoyed Minako in this chapter as much as I did. She is just TOO MUCH FUN!

Thank you to Ghost Man, Sage McGavin, KageNoNeko, A Summer's Melody, angeljme, slightlyxjaded, Augustine, chezminou and my guest reviewers for all your comments and thoughts. And especially for the reassurances on the rating! I don't know how to communicate how exciting it is to get feedback especially with a pairing that doesn't get as much traffic!

Reviews are love! Truly!


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